The Dream Lives On
by Leonhart4
Summary: Two years later, Tidus is granted another chance by the mysterious forces of the Farplane. The dream now real again, to what lengths will he go to be reunited with Yuna?
1. Back in Besaid

Final Fantasy X

**The Dream Lives On**

Chapter 1- Back in Besaid 

A strange voice had called out to him in the Farplane. "Tidus, you have been granted another chance. Use it well."

He didn't know who it was or where it had come from. Everything suddenly blacked out, and when he came to his senses, he was curled up into the form of a ball underwater. Tidus felt tired, so he stretched out to loosen up and wake up. Then he realized that he was no longer in the Farplane. He quickly swam to the surface with an ecstatic look on his face.

His head popped up above the surface of the water. Tidus was excited to see the island of Besaid in the distance. He swam closer until he could place his feet down onto the wet sand and stay above water. He clutched the bright blue blade known as the Brotherhood, Wakka's deceased brother Chappu's sword, in his right hand tightly. The colorful and mysterious pyreflies floated around him. His pleased grin stuck with him as he approached the shore.

He had half-expected the Besaid Aurochs to be practicing blitzball, but Tidus saw no one. _(Everyone must be in the village.)_ he thought. His smirk broadened on his dark face. "Yuna, here I come!" he exclaimed and dashed off toward Besaid Village.

He followed the path that Wakka had taken him on when he had first come there. He came to the cliff overlooking the beautiful lagoon that the former captain and coach of the Aurochs had shoved him into. He got a running start and leaped into the pure azure waters. Tidus came back up above the surface and shook the droplets out of his hair. "Whew, that felt good! It's good to be back!" he said to himself happily.

He continued on, taking out any Piranhas he encountered along the way. After returning to dry land, he started running again toward the village. He slowed down to a walk once he reached Besaid. Tidus didn't see any of them around, so he decided to call for them. "Yuna? Wakka? Lulu? Rikku? Kimahri?"

Then a group of five poured out of the temple, but it was not who he expected. Instead, the Besaid Aurochs headed his way with an elated look on each of their faces. "Tidus! We thought you were dead! Where have you been all this time?" Datto, the palest Auroch with brown hair and a green headband, asked.

"I…" He paused. _(They probably wouldn't believe me if I told them. It does seem a little out there.)_ he considered. "Well, it's a long story."

"Yeah, I imagine it would be after you've been gone for two years, ya?" Letty, the black man with the goatee and black hair, commented.

"Two years? It's been that long?" Tidus questioned, almost in disbelief.

"What? You lost track of time or somethin'?" Jassu, the thinnest one, who was also black with blonde hair, asked.

"I guess so…Hey, where are Yuna and the others?" Tidus inquired curiously, changing the subject.

"What? You don't know?" Botta, the Auroch with red hair and the strip over his nose, asked in amazement.

"Know what? What's goin' on?" he asked.

"Yuna's getting married, and the rest of them are with her," Keepa, the overweight goalie with black hair, answered.

"What…?" His mouth hung open in shock. "When did this happen?"

"Well, she met this guy named Adonijah…Must've been about six months after you disappeared. He really helped her out when she was down, ya? Anyway, he proposed to her a few months back, and she accepted," Jassu explained.

"I don't believe it…" Tidus muttered to himself. _(I have to go to her! I gotta see her before that happens!)_ he thought. "When is she getting married?"

"In seven days at Zanarkand," Datto answered.

"Zanarkand? In those ruins? Why there?" he asked curiously.

"You don't know about that either, ya? They had it rebuilt because Yuna asked them to. They been workin' hard for the past two years, and it's finally done. She even had them make statues in memory of you, Sir Auron, and Sir Jecht. So now Yuna's havin' her wedding there to commemorate the event," Botta informed.

"I need to get there, guys! Are you all going?" Tidus asked in desperation.

"Nope. We'd love to, but we gotta go to the opening blitzball tournament in Luca," Letty replied.

"Is there any way I can get to Zanarkand in time?" he asked.

"Well, you could ride with us to Luca, and then you'll have to hurry to get there," Keepa answered.

"When does the boat leave?" Tidus asked.

"First thing tomorrow," Jassu said.

"Great…" he said sarcastically.

"So we'll see you tomorrow, ya? We gotta practice," Datto said. Then the Besaid Aurochs ran off.

"Later guys," he said sadly. He scuffed his feet along the ground. Then he slowly sauntered over to the Crusader's Lodge to reserve a bed. 

Inside, he was surprised to see Gatta sitting at the table. "Gatta? What are you doing here?"

He spun around to face him. "Sir Tidus! You're alive!" He jumped up from his seat excitedly. "It's a miracle! How did you get here?"

"Long story," Tidus said curtly. "Why are you still here? I thought the Crusaders' mission was to defeat Sin. Now it's dead. I figured they would've disbanded or something."

"Well, that was the mission, but now that Sin is gone, we've sworn to protect the people of Spira from any and all threats," Gatta answered. "So what brings you here?"

"I'm going to Zanarkand," he said.

"Alone?" Gatta asked, surprised.

"Yeah. Why?" Tidus asked curiously.

"It's dangerous out there with the Ronau Group running around," he informed.

"What's…the Ronau Group?" he inquired.

"They're a group of terrorists bent on causing destruction throughout Spira. They've already sabotaged numerous events in the past two years, and we suspect they may strike at High Summoner Yuna's wedding next," he explained.

"So does that mean you're going to Zanarkand, too?"

"Yeah, so I'll go with you. Along the way, we'll be searching for a man named Dalan. He is our prime suspect as the leader of the Ronau Group," Gatta said.

Tidus simply nodded his understanding. "Got it. Well, I'm goin' to sleep. I'm really tired."

"Remember, we leave on the S.S. Liki tomorrow morning. Goodnight, Sir Tidus."

"Night," he said, rubbing his eyes and heading toward a bed.

In the morning when he awoke, Tidus found Gatta waiting for him outside the lodge. "Good morning, Sir Tidus!" he greeted cheerfully.

"Morning," he said with a yawn.

"Shall we get going to the docks?"

"Yeah, let's go."

As they walked along the path, Gatta attempted to make conversation. "So, why don't you tell me how you managed to get here? High Summoner Yuna told me you were sent to the Farplane."

"Yeah, I was, but then I heard this voice telling me that I'd been given another chance. Then I woke up here. That was yesterday. That's all I know," Tidus explained.

"Ah, I see. If I may ask, why are you so eager to go to Zanarkand?"

"I have to see Yuna before she gets married. I just have to."

"You're in love with her? If I may say so myself, Adonijah is a good man. He'll treat her right," Gatta commented.

"No, that's not what I'm worried about. I'm sure she wouldn't marry him if she didn't think so. I just need to see if she still loves me. I can't believe she still wouldn't love me, even if she is getting married to another man. If she doesn't, she can marry him, and I'll be happy for her."

"I understand."

"So why are you still a Crusader, Gatta? Any particular reason you decided to stick with it?" Tidus inquired out of curiosity.

"I just enjoy helping the people of Spira, being able to protect them and ease their suffering whenever the need arises. I want them to be able to live in peace, and I'm sure Luzzu would, too. He would've stayed, too," Gatta answered.

"I'm sure Luzzu would be proud of you," he said encouragingly.

Gatta smiled. "Thank you, sir."

Then they reached the beach, where the vessel was waiting. The Besaid Aurochs were already waiting at the docks. "Hurry up, slowpokes!" Jassu yelled as they began to board the boat.

Tidus and Gatta hurried and got on as well.

_Author's Notes: So what'd you think? Good, bad, ugly? Let me know what you thought of it in a review, and also add some constructive criticism. It'll help me improve as a writer, and I can use all the help I can get._


	2. Out at Sea

Chapter 2- Out at Sea 

As the ship began to embark, a large number of fans came to wave to the Besaid Aurochs and wish them luck in the tournament. Tidus was surprised at the multitude of people that showed up. "Wow, I didn't expect to see that many of them here. I thought these guys weren't any good," he commented to himself.

The blitzball players overheard him. "We didn't used to be, of course, but we've made the finals the last two years, losin' to the Goers by one goal both times. You were there the first time, remember?" Datto reminded.

Tidus simply nodded his comprehension. "Well, they're all hopin' we can get it done this year, ya? We don't wanna let them down either," Jassu said.

"Hey, you wanna play with us again? I'm sure we'd win if you were on our team!" Letty said enthusiastically.

The former star player of the Zanarkand Abes shrugged. "I don't know, guys. I'm in a big hurry, but I'll think about it. Depends on how things are going when we get there."

"All right. Let us know soon, ya?" Botta said and they ran off to practice their passing.

"You'd really consider participating in the blitzball tournament?" Gatta inquired curiously.

"Sure, I love blitzball. Haven't played in forever, so I really want to. But like I said, we'll see how things are goin' when we get there. If we're in a hurry, we'll continue on without them. If we have time, I'll play. Sound good?" Tidus proposed.

He nodded in agreement. Then the two of them ascended to the upper deck. Tidus leaned on the railing and observed the view of the serene sea. Gatta decided to sit down on the wooden floor, back pressed against a pillar. "So, tell me more about this Adonijah guy Yuna's marrying," the guardian requested.

"Well, he was appointed as Grand Maester of Yevon after Grand Maester Mika's and Maester Seymour's deaths. He was very well qualified for the position. Adonijah is an intellectual person, learned in the scriptures of Yevon," Gatta told him.

Tidus snorted with contempt. "I bet he's probably about as crooked and hypocritical as Mika and Seymour were. But why wouldn't Yuna see that?"

"On the contrary, he's a very devout believer in the teachings of Yevon. He refused to allow them to use machina to rebuild Zanarkand, fearing Sin might return. Even upon High Summoner Yuna's insistence that it wouldn't, he didn't budge. Adonijah said that the scriptures stated that Sin was our punishment for letting things get out of hand, and that there was a good reason those machina were forbidden. Eventually, she let him have his way," Gatta enlightened. 

"There's still something I don't trust about all these Yevonites. He might be putting up a front," Tidus said, frowning.

"I understand how you feel, Sir Tidus, but have faith in him. He didn't defend Seymour's actions, but reproved them. Matter of fact, Adonijah even reprimanded Yuna for using that airship, and had the Al Bhed turn it over. He's a good man."

"If you say so, but I gotta meet this guy first before she marries him," he said with a sigh.

He gazed over to watch the Aurochs practice. They had improved greatly. It all went smoothly, with few mistakes. They had coordination and teamwork, unlike when he had first met them. He was very impressed by their progress.

Gatta decided that Tidus needed some time alone to himself to think, so he arose. He descended the stairs to the lower deck and moved toward the door to the cabin. "I'll be down below if you need me." Then he opened the entrance and went down into the passenger accommodation.

_(Yuna...marrying a Maester? It's just so hard to believe after all that we went through with them, especially Seymour...)_ he pondered.

Then his mind flashed back to the time that she had agreed to marry the Guado. She hadn't actually wanted to wed him, but had a hidden agenda after seeing a sphere that the spirit of his father Jyscal had dropped at the entrance of the Farplane in Guadosalam. Maybe it was the same circumstances, and Yuna knew something the rest didn't.

Tidus wasn't sure if that's what he wanted, because that would mean Adonijah would be a problem and might cause her harm. He'd just have to wait and see for himself. The thoughts didn't comfort him at all. Actually, they made him feel even worse. Not only was Yuna getting married, but it might also be to someone nefarious. 

It made him worry even more, despite Gatta's claim of his good nature. If the Grand Maester was as pious as he seemed to be, he wouldn't have to be concerned if his true love did marry him. However, the thought of that bothered him as well. He didn't like almost any of the possible outcomes. It seemed as if he was in a no-win situation. 

Tidus felt like screaming out loud. He had just tilted his head back and opened his mouth widely when he heard Gatta shouting to him from down below. "Sir Tidus, come quickly! It's the Ronau Group! They've stowed aboard the boat!"

He drew the Brotherhood and rushed down to the cabin. He saw that Gatta was surrounded by four men, all dressed in black. The only visible part of them was their eyes, and it was the only way to distinguish them from each other besides the weapons that they brandished. They were even the same height and build.

"Calling for the legendary guardian, huh?" the man directly in front of Gatta said with a laugh. He had dark brown eyes and a spear.

"I'm afraid he won't be arriving anytime soon," the one behind him said. He possessed midnight blue eyes and steel claws were attached to his fists.

"You shouldn't have come down here," the individual to Gatta's left said with a snicker. He wielded an iron staff, and his green eyes had an eerie glow to them.

"Yeah, somethin' bad might happen to you," the person to his right threatened, slowly stroking a lead pipe. His eyes were black like his attire.

"Hey! Back off!" Tidus yelled.

The four members of the Ronau Group stared at him wide-eyed. "It's true. He is alive!" the brown-eyed man exclaimed.

"We'll just have to fix that," the black-eyed man said with a psychotic giggle.

Gatta drew his broadsword while they fixed their attention on Tidus. Then he leaped over them agilely and landed at his blonde-haired friend's side. "Let's take care of these guys, but spare their lives. We need to question them!"

The black-eyed individual charged at them with his steel pipe raised over his head. He swung viciously and recklessly, so the two easily avoided the attack. Tidus knocked the weapon out of his hand with the Brotherhood, and Gatta shoved his broadsword into the man's shoulder.

After the sword was removed, he stumbled backwards and dropped down to the floor, shrieking in pain. He clutched the open wound as it bled through his outfit.

The two of them dashed toward their enemies. The one with brown eyes thrusted at Tidus with his spear, but he hopped aside. Then the bright blue blade swiftly knocked the weapon from his hand. Then he rendered him unconscious by roughly slamming the handle of the sword into his forehead. The man crumpled to the floor harmlessly.

Gatta raised his broadsword in defense as the man with green eyes attacked with his staff. As he blocked the attempt, the Crusader kicked the black-garbed terrorist in the stomach fiercely, causing him to bend over due to pain and loss of breath. Then he knocked him out with a firmly planted knee to the top of his skull.

The blue-eyed one with metal claws swiped haphazardly at Tidus, the guardian easily dodging. "Come on! Hit me if you can!" he taunted.

The adversary growled furiously and began slashing faster, but to no avail. "Not like that! Like this!"

Tidus executed a perfectly timed backward somersault kick, as his feet went between the claws and connected with the man's jaw. His chin stuck straight up into the air as he fell.

"That was a little too easy," he commented.

"They are merely cronies of the Ronau Group. These lackeys don't pose much of a threat to skilled warriors such as us, but can still terrorize the innocent civilians," Gatta informed.

Then he walked over to the black-eyed man, still bleeding profusely. "Who sent you and what did they send you for? Answer me!" he demanded.

"I'll…never talk," he protested weakly.

Then he grabbed the nearby fallen spear of his partner in crime. Tidus assumed a battle stance, but was astonished when he saw the lunatic minion impale himself. Then he jerked it out and tossed it over to the owner of the weapon, who did the same thing.

The blue-eyed man with the steel claws sliced the man beside him cruelly, and then shoved them into his own chest. The four were seemingly engulfed by the pyreflies that arose from their dead bodies, and they vanished.

Gatta kicked the wall of the cabin angrily. "I knew this would happen!"

"W-What's going on?! Why did they do that?!" Tidus asked frantically.

"You see, the Ronau Group specializes in espionage missions. If they are ever caught or seen, they will either kill the witnesses or kill themselves. They don't want anyone else to learn anything about them, so they commit suicide before they're forced to talk. That's why they still run rampant across Spira, and we only have leads to go by. It's so aggravating because we've been trying so hard for the past two years with no success," Gatta explained, clenching his fist.

Then they instinctively resumed their battle stances when the door leading to the deck swung open. They were relieved to see that it was Keepa. "Yo, come on guys! We've reached Kilika!"

Then the two of them went back above and exited the S.S. Liki.

_Author's Notes: I don't think this chapter turned out well, but you be the judge, jury, and executioner. Let me know what you thought in a review. Also, add some constructive criticism so I can improve as a writer. I need all the help I can get._


	3. A No-Brainer

Chapter 3- A No-Brainer 

As they stepped off of the boat, Tidus looked around at the small island town. He had arrived under more favorable circumstances than before. The first time, Sin had just attacked the village, and it was in shambles. The survivors had been dejected, and wept over their lost loved ones. 

Things were different in Kilika this time. It was peaceful, calm, and the citizens were in high spirits. A number of them had come to greet the team. "Welcome to Kilika! I hope you enjoy your stay here!" a man, who had apparently been appointed the spokesperson, greeted.

As the Besaid Aurochs spoke to the villagers cheerfully, Tidus admired the beautiful view. The sunset had filled the sky with a mix of scarlet, yellow, and orange, and the magnificent colors reflected upon the top of the water. As they crowd dispersed, the blitzball team turned to face the two of them. "You gonna come to the temple with us?" Letty invited.

Gatta shot a questioning glance at the guardian. "Do you think we should?"

Tidus shrugged. "Sure, why not? We can't go anywhere until the boat's ready for Luca anyway," he stated.

"You're right. Let's go."

They began to head toward the woods that led to Kilika Temple. They walked until Tidus passed a familiar place. He stopped, looking out at the sea. This was the place where he had first seen Yuna perform the sending. He had found it strange to watch her dance in the face of death and despair. 

The pyreflies had lifted from the corpses and littered the sky about the summoner. She had danced on the water while he watched from the wooden planks, mesmerized, and the residents cried. He had thought it was horrifying to witness, as she had to do something usually reserved for a joyous occasion during a tragic time.

Tidus shuddered at the thought of it now. The others turned around and went back to him when they realized he was no longer with them. "Hey, what's the hold up? Somethin' wrong?" Datto asked.

"Huh?" he said, confused, his train of thought broken. "Oh, yeah, I'm okay. Don't worry about it."

"Well, let's get going then, ya?" Letty said.

Then they continued on their way to the temple. As they journeyed through the forest, Tidus and Gatta defeated any fiends they encountered. After the group exited the woods, they came to the stairway leading up to the temple.

The Aurochs stretched and looked at the former blitzball star with wide grins. "Oh, you wanna race, huh? Okay, but you won't get off easy like last time," he accepted.

Then he began to stretch to get warmed up as well. "Ready when you are."

"Keepa, if you will…" Botta said with a mock bow.

"Why me?" the goalie protested.

"Because we all know you won't win!" Letty joked, laughing. The others joined him as well while Keepa hung his head. "Hey, you know I'm just kidding, ya?"

"I'll do it," Gatta volunteered. He stood at the base of the steps, and the participants lined up for the race. He raised his arm up into the air. "Get ready…Get set…Go!" Then the Crusader brought his arm down and the others dashed up the stairs.

Tidus jumped two steps at a time, but Jassu matched his strides. Letty, Botta, Datto, and Keepa followed, respectively. The two continued neck and neck most of the way up. As they approached the top, the guardian dove forward across the final four steps and won the race.

Then he hopped up with his arms raised triumphantly as the others reached the finish. "Yeah!"

"Good race, ya? Congratulations," Jassu said with sportsmanship.

"Thanks, but you did good, too. You almost won."

"Come on. Let's head inside," Datto said, breathing heavily.

"Tired already?" Botta said.

"Oh shut up."

Then the seven of them entered the Temple of Kilika. Inside, the Besaid Aurochs gathered around the large statue of Lord Ohalland and began praying. Gatta joined them, but Tidus opted to hang back. Gazing around the temple where they had acquired the aeon Ifrit, he spotted a figure he recognized. 

The guardian of the summoner Dona, Barthello, stood on the other side of the room, with his back to them. However, the scantily clad woman was not present with the muscular man. Tidus remembered that this was where he had first met him, when the musclehead had forced him into the Cloister of Trials. 

He wasn't sure why, but he decided to go speak with him. He tapped him on the shoulder, and Barthello slowly turned around. He squinted as he stared at him, as usual. "Oh, it's you. Where have you been these past two years? No one has heard anything about you," he said in his low tone.

"Oh, you know…Around," he answered ambiguously. 

"What about Sir Auron? Do you know anything about him? I'd like to meet him again," Barthello commented.

Tidus hesitated briefly. "…Can't say that I've seen him. By the way, where's Dona? Did you ever find her?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, but…She was very angry. Called me an idiot and a lousy guardian for not being able to protect her. Then she left," he explained.

"That's rough, big guy. So why are you here anyway?"

"No reason. I just wander Spira now. Nowhere to go, nowhere to stay."

Then Tidus started thinking. _(This guy could be really helpful. I mean, he's not that bright, but he's powerful. I wonder if he'd go along with us?)_

The only way to find out was to ask, so he did. "Hey Barthello, we're on our way to Zanarkand. You wanna come?" he inquired.

"You want me…to come…with you? I'd be honored to go with the guardian who helped defeat Sin for good," he accepted.

"All right!" Tidus exclaimed.

Barthello wouldn't be much of a problem, he figured. He was generally a man of few words, and very businesslike. They wouldn't have to worry about his loyalty. He'd do whatever the one whom he followed ordered, whether it was right or wrong. He had no regard for that. He just supported the cause of whomever he was with.

Gatta had finished praying and approached them. "Who's this? A friend of yours?"

"This is Barthello. He's gonna come with us to Zanarkand."

The Crusader examined the muscular man. "If you want him to come along, it's fine by me. It's your decision."

As the Besaid Aurochs rose to their feet and prepared to leave, their rivals, the Luca Goers, entered. They still possessed that arrogant air about them that Tidus remembered and despised. 

"Ah, come to pray that you'll be good enough to beat us this year, boys? It's hopeless because you know you never will," Bickson, their star player, taunted egocentrically.

The Aurochs growled angrily. "What? Nothing to say?" Abus added.

"Hey, that's enough!" Tidus interjected.

"Look, it's the self-proclaimed star player of that supposed team from Zanarkand," Graav mocked. "What was your name again?" 

"Tidus."

They appeared to be surprised for a moment, but then resumed insulting the blitzball team. "Weren't you gonna say anything to us? Or can't ya talk? Is it too hard to admit that you're still way outclassed?" Bickson continued.

Then Barthello stepped in front of them and glared down at them, expressionless and remaining still. The Goers took a step backward, obviously intimidated. "Uhh…We better be going. The, uhh…boat's about to leave soon," Graav said nervously and they made a hasty retreat.

"I just don't know if we'll be able to stay on the same boat with those guys again," Letty said frustratingly.

"I got a feeling we won't make it all the way to Luca without some fighting, ya?" Jassu said.

"They need to be taught a lesson," Datto stated.

"And we'll teach it to them in the tournament. We're takin' the cup for sure this year. Count me in, guys," Tidus said.

Then the Aurochs began to cheer noisily. When they settled down, they headed back to the village to catch the S.S. Winno. 

"So you think we'll have time?" Gatta inquired along the way.

"We'll make time. I can't stand them. I have to beat them!" Tidus resolved.

Barthello followed at the rear wordlessly.

When they returned to Kilika, they scampered onto the boat. It was nearly time for departure as night began to fall. They spread out along the S.S. Winno, each spending some time by themselves. Many of the Aurochs had already decided to head down into the cabin to rest.

As the ship set sail, Tidus looked overboard down at the water, and his reflection upon its clear blue surface. His blue eyes seemed pensive and gloomy. He was well aware that once they reached Luca, he would only have five days to make it to Zanarkand. He wondered if they'd be able to make it before Yuna made the commitment of a lifetime. Then he frowned, raised his head back up, and turned away.

_Author's Notes: So what'd you guys think? Let me know in a review, along with some constructive criticism. It'll help me improve as a writer, and I need all the help I can get._


	4. Let the Games Begin!

**Chapter 4- Let the Games Begin!**

Throughout most of the voyage on the S.S. Winno, both of the teams had somehow managed to remain calm. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they kept their distances from each other, which was also odd. None of the Goers confronted the Aurochs, and vice-versa.

Tidus strolled aimlessly around the ship. At times he would go to the upper deck and just stare out at the ocean silently. At other times he would head down to the cabin, say nothing to those down there, walk around for a few moments, and then leave. Then he would move toward a lone blitzball on the lower deck and play with it a little. He would balance it on his head, toss it from one hand to the other, and then kick it around lackadaisically.

Gatta observed his actions with an amused smirk, and approached him. "What are you doing?"

"Just…wasting time, I guess," he answered, sounding depressed.

"Why don't you try to get some sleep?"

"I can't. I already tried. I'm not all that tired," he replied.

"Oh…Well, show me some of your moves then," Gatta requested.

"Nah, don't feel like it right now," Tidus refused. He picked up the blitzball again and started lobbing it up into the air and catching it. 

"What's wrong?"

He flung the ball into the air once more, only this time he let it drop to the deck. "What do you think?" he retorted crossly.

"Yuna?"

He nodded slowly with a frown. "The more I think about it, the worse I feel."

"Well, maybe the tournament tomorrow will cheer you up some," the Crusader said.

"Yeah, I hope so. At least I won't be worrying about it for a little while. I'll just be concentrating on the game," the former Zanarkand Abes star commented.

"It'll do you some good, I think. You've been away for a long time, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then you should be really pumped up, huh? It'll feel good to be back, won't it?" Gatta asked.

"Yeah, it will. Once I get started, it'll be like I never left. Can't wait," Tidus agreed, starting to cheer up. Then they heard angry yells coming from the cabin below. They exchanged worried glances. "Uh oh! That can't be good!"

The two of them hurried down, with Barthello following. They came upon a brawl between the Besaid Aurochs and the Luca Goers. Fists, kicks, and even blitzballs were flying, as they noticed Jassu smash Bickson's nose with one. He recoiled in pain briefly, and then rejoined the fray. He repaid the Auroch by decking him with his fist and sending him crashing to the floor. 

Keepa shoved the Goer's goalie, Raudy, to the deck, and then pancaked him, his excessive girth knocking the breath out of him. The Luca blitzball player remained on the ground after the other got off of him.

Then Balgerda tackled Datto and starting throwing punches. Botta grabbed her by the hair and pulled her off harshly. Doram kicked at Botta, who ducked under her foot and tripped her up.

Letty and Graav focused solely on each other, throwing vicious punches at their rival. Blood poured freely from their noses, but it didn't faze them and they continued fighting.

The young blitzball player and Crusader quickly decided it was time to intervene. "Barthello, break them up," Tidus requested. 

Then he calmly walked into the middle of the skirmish and began separating them. "Enough!" he commanded sternly.

The two teams stopped abruptly at the sight of the massive guardian. Many of them had been bloodied and had visible shiners. "There'll be no more of that!" Gatta interjected. 

  
"We'll take care of you losers tomorrow!" Graav said as they parted ways. 

"Quit talkin' and show it to us! We'll let our actions do the talking!" Letty returned.

After they were gone, Tidus shook his head. "This is gonna be bad, really bad."

"It was real intense last year, too. Letty and Graav ended up breaking their arms in an intentional collision in the finals last year," Gatta revealed.

"Oh, so that's why they were so mad at each other. Bad blood between them."

"That's an understatement."

In the morning, the city of Luca could be seen in the distance. The roars of the crowd were overwhelming and could be heard from the boat. Those who had been unable to get the quick-selling tickets had already filled the tavern, and were watching the coverage on the sphere monitor. The local commentators, Jimma and Bobba, brought them live updates as the blitzball teams arrived at the docks.

"We can already tell it's going to be an exciting day as the teams begin to disembark!" 

"That's right, Bobba. At dock number one, we have the Guado Glories!"

The screen showed the players getting off of the boat. The fans began to jeer loudly. "They certainly haven't been a fan favorite since that whole fiasco with Maester Seymour was revealed to the public," Bobba commented.

"That's true. Now, at dock number two are their long-time rivals, the Ronso Fangs!"

The monitor changed locations to show the towering Ronso stepping off of their boat slowly. "Their size makes them a force to be reckoned with!" Bobba exclaimed.

"Next, at dock number three, here come the Kilika Beasts!" Jimma introduced. The sphere monitor changed scenes as the team got off of the boat. "But they really aren't the main story at this dock."

The Besaid Aurochs came into view and fans began to cheer. The Besaid fans were cheering for their team and the Luca fans cheered at the sight of their bruises and cuts. "Oh my! It looks as if the Aurochs had a scuffle on the way here, and it's not hard to guess who it was with," Bobba said.

Then Tidus came into sight. "Wait! Who's this?! It's Tidus, the legendary guardian of High Summoner Yuna! No one's seen him in two years! If only she could be here to see this, but she's in Zanarkand, preparing for her wedding to Grand Maester Adonijah. Isn't that right, Jimma?"

"Right you are, Bobba. Everyone was wondering who would take Wakka's place in the tournament since he's also in Zanarkand, but I don't think anyone expected this!" Jimma exclaimed excitedly.

Everyone stood to their feet, cheering and applauding Tidus, except for the Guado in attendance. He took a bow and the crowd settled down.

Then the Goers fans began to shout loudly as their team stepped off next. "And now, our very own Luca Goers! It seems that the five-time defending champions have received their share of bruises from the Aurochs," Bobba stated.

The Besaid fans taunted them at the sight of their injuries. "It looks like we'll have another Aurochs-Goers classic in the finals this year. They are both the favorites to make it," Jimma said.

Then the sphere monitor changed locations one last time to dock number five. "Finally, we have the Al Bhed Psyches! They have never been popular, and today is no exception," Bobba observed as those in the stands booed them loudly. "Well, now that the introductions are over, we'll be back later for coverage on the opening tournament of the season."

Each team reported to their respective locker rooms as one representative from each went to discover whom their opponents were be. Datto went for the Aurochs. The players waited impatiently for the return of their teammate. When he opened the door, they crowded around him in an instant.

"So who we got?" Jassu inquired anxiously.

"We're playin' the Guado Glories, but I gotta warn you, Tidus. They're not gonna take too kindly to you. They're gonna hit you hard."

Tidus shook it off without a problem. "I always look forward to a challenge."

_Author's Notes: So what did you think? Let me know in a review, along with some constructive criticism. It'll help me improve as a writer._


	5. A Friendly Game of Blitzball?

**Chapter 5- A Friendly Game of Blitzball?**

The Guado Glories were the first to enter the sphere pool. Led by their captain, Giera Guado, the squad consisted of Zazi, Navara, Auda, Pah, and Noy Guado. The fans in the stands mercilessly booed them, but they seemed unaffected by the crowd.

Then the Besaid Aurochs were next, led by Tidus. They received an outstanding ovation from the audience. However, all of the Guado shot a glare of contempt at the blonde-haired guardian. _(What's their problem?)_

The voices of the announcers were being broadcasted on the sphere monitor at the tavern. "Our next exciting match is between the upstart Aurochs, and the Guado Glories! I never thought I'd see the day that Besaid would be favored in a game, but that's the case here, folks!" Bobba stated.

Then the players met in the center of the pool sphere for what was known as the blitz off. "Now the teams are gathering to start the games. Both sides look determined and ready, so let's get ready to blitz!" Jimma exclaimed.

The Aurochs and Glories scrambled for the loose blitzball, and Datto grabbed it. He quickly passed it off to Botta as Giera hit him. He swam speedily toward the opposing goal. As he was encountered by Navara and Pah, Tidus frantically waved his hands for Botta to pass him the ball. He barely did so as he was sandwiched by the two Guado.

"Ouch! What a hit!" Bobba said with a wince. "He could be hurt!"

Tidus grabbed the ball and proceeded to hastily kick it away. The incredible velocity of the projectile proved to be too much for Noy, and he couldn't catch it. It went into the net for an early goal. "And the Aurochs get on the board quickly!" Jimma said.

Long after the goal had been scored, Zazi Guado rammed into Tidus roughly from behind. "A late cheap shot! Totally uncalled for!" Bobba added.

The guardian simply let it go and prepared for the next face-off. The blitzball was thrown back into play, and the teams fought for it again. This time Auda of the Glories claimed it, but was immediately confronted by Jassu. The Guado tried to break through, but the skinny Auroch slid by and stole the ball.

He immediately attempted to pass it to Letty, but his teammate couldn't handle it and fumbled it away. Tidus tried to pick up the blitzball off of the bottom of the sphere pool, but Giera, Pah, and Zazi charged at him. As he placed a hand on it, the three Guado immediately kicked him fiercely. The young blitzball player was hit in the ribs, kidneys, and the back of the head. Zazi swept in and snatched the ball as Tidus tried to recover from the assault.

"Whoa! They weren't going after the blitzball! They were intentionally trying to hurt him! Bad sportsmanship on the part of the Glories," Jimma said, disappointed.

Zazi Guado broke for the goal and shot at Keepa. The goalie was ready and batted it away. Letty picked it up and took it the other way. Pah and Auda tried to get in his way. The Auroch aimed and threw a pass toward Datto. The two Guado got their hands on it, but it got through and reached its destination.

He took the blitzball and swam toward the opposing goal. He threw the ball toward Noy Guado, and the goalie moved over for what seemed like an easy block. However, Botta came in at the last moment and kicked the blitzball to the other side of the net.

"Goal! What excellent teamwork by the Aurochs!" Bobba shouted.

They moved in for the blitz off again with Besaid up by two. As the blitzball was put into play, all four of the Guado ignored it and began attacking Tidus instead. His teammates immediately intervened and tried to pull them off of him. The referees in charge of the game stopped play. "Due to intentionally malicious acts on the part of the Glories, they have been disqualified! The game is over! Besaid wins," they announced.

"That was a good call. They did the right thing," Jimma commented.

"I agree, Jimma. But now everyone's gotta be wondering if Tidus will be well enough to play in the finals. We'll let you know as soon as we get more information."

The guardian floated motionlessly and was carried back to the locker room by his fellow teammates. The fans cheered and applauded in support.

Inside the locker room, the Aurochs were obviously concerned. "You gonna be okay?" Jassu asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Tidus answered weakly. He tried to sit up, but cried out in pain and clutched his ribs.

"No, you're hurt! We'll just forfeit the game," Letty resolved.

"No! You will not throw the game! I am going to play!" the former Abes star protested vehemently. He slowly stood to his feet. "We're gonna beat those Goers! Who's with me?" 

He placed his hand out in front of him and the four Aurochs placed theirs on top of his. "What's our goal?"

"Victory!" they chorused strongly.

The Luca Goers were already in the sphere pool, waiting for their opponents to arrive. 

"In case you've just joined us, folks, the Goers shut out the Fangs, 4-0. The Aurochs beat the Glories by means of a disqualification, and Tidus seemed to be badly injured. We're anxiously awaiting to see whether they play or forfeit the game," Bobba updated.

The sound of the crowd's cheers gave them their answer. "And here they come! Let's get the final match under way!" Jimma said excitedly.

Bickson possessed that ever-present smirk of arrogance as the two teams gathered in the middle of the sphere pool. The Aurochs all looked serious, and Letty in particular, as he stared down Graav. 

The blitzball was let loose and the squads raced for it. Doram quickly picked it up and handed it over to Abus without hesitation. The Goer was the fastest one of the group and swam toward their rivals' goal. None of the Aurochs could catch him before he shot at Keepa. They looked disappointed as they expected it to pass right by their goalie. However, he got his fingers on the blitzball, and diverted it just enough. It bounced off of the post and did not go in.

Abus and all the Goers fans were in shock. Letty grabbed the ball and headed in the other direction. Graav met him instantly. He kicked at him with all of his might, but Letty had a good grip on it and held on. He continued swimming toward Raudy, their goalie. He swiftly passed it off to Jassu, who took the shot. The goalie easily knocked it away, and Balgerda picked up the loose blitzball.

She encountered Datto and Botta as she prepared to head the other way. She attempted to pass it off to Bickson, but Datto tipped the ball, allowing Botta to take it away. He threw it to Tidus, who was getting ready to take the shot, but Bickson swooped in and hit him in the ribs. It caused him to drop the ball, and the star Goer took it over. 

He headed toward the Aurochs' obese goalie. Keepa bit his bottom lip nervously as he watched him heading his way. He was relieved to see Jassu cut him off. He attempted to hit Bickson, who moved to the side. The overconfident player thought he had avoided it, but the foot connected with the blitzball and sent it flying out of his grip. 

Graav managed to recover it and continued toward the destination. Letty was right behind him, unbeknownst to the Goer. He brought his arm back to shoot, but the Auroch placed his hand on it as the ball was released. It enabled Keepa to knock it away and prevent the goal.

As Tidus picked up the blitzball, the buzzer sounded. It was halftime. The guardian flung it away in aggravation.

The two teams gathered in their locker rooms for a brief rest. "Good job so far, guys! Let's keep it up!" Tidus encouraged.

After the break, the Aurochs and Goers met again for the second half. "A great defensive struggle in the first half. It's tied at zero, but at least one goal must be scored to decide the champions. Who will it be? Time to find out!" Botta said.

They faced off, and the blitzball was thrown into action. Datto snatched the ball up and quickly passed it to Letty. He proceeded to get it to Jassu without faltering. Then he got it off to Botta. Finally, the ball was placed into the hands of Tidus in front of the goal with a wide-open shot. Before the Goers could go anything, he sent the ball flying at Raudy. The goalie somehow managed to block the shot.

He growled angrily and charged as Doram gained control of the blitzball. He cut her off as she began swimming in the other direction. She passed to Abus, and he got a hand on the ball. It was not enough and the Goer took the ball.

He came closer to Keepa and tossed it to Graav, who was rudely met by Letty. The contact caused him to fumble away the blitzball and it fell to the bottom of the sphere pool. It was recovered by Botta, who tried to pass it off to Jassu. The Auroch couldn't handle it and dropped it. 

Abus picked up the loose blitzball and headed back in the direction of Keepa. Letty and Tidus cut him off on his way to the goal. He tried to shoot past them, but the two players blocked it and it dropped harmlessly to the bottom.

Datto recovered it with only one minute remaining in regulation. He tried to quickly get it to Tidus, but Bickson dashed in and stole the ball. He swam furiously toward the goal, but was met by Botta. 

He successfully broke through and took the open shot. It was too quick for Keepa to stop. The buzzer sounded and it passed by him into the net. The Goers fans began to cheer wildly, but the officials quickly acted.

"There was no goal! Time had expired! Overtime!"

The teams had already started to leave, but quickly returned to the center of the pool. The Besaid Aurochs were ecstatic, while the Luca Goers grumbled.

Tidus gathered his team into a huddle. "I've got an idea. Whenever you guys get the blitzball, pass it to me. I'll be waiting at the top of the pool. I know just what to do," he said confidently.

They nodded in agreement. Then the blitzball was put into action and grabbed by Jassu. He threw it forcefully to Tidus without hesitation. The former Zanarkand Abes star caught it and placed it on top of his head. He leaped out of the top of the sphere pool. He bounced it up into the air and began to perform what was known as the "Sublimely Magnificent Jecht Shot Mark III." 

The crowd suddenly hushed and watched in quite awe as he completed the move and the blitzball sped toward Raudy. The goalie couldn't catch it, and it went into the net.

The silence ended and the fans roared rowdily as Tidus landed in the pool again. "Unbelievable! I've never seen a shot like that! The Aurochs have defeated the Goers 1-0 in one of the greatest games I have ever witnessed!" Bobba exclaimed in disbelief.

_Author's Notes: I'm not so sure if this turned out well or not. It was probably pretty confusing. Anyway, let me know what you think in a review along with some constructive criticism. It'll help me improve as a writer, and I need all the help I can get._


	6. On the Road Again

Chapter 6- On the Road Again 

Inside the winning locker room, the Besaid Aurochs celebrated their victory. They grabbed some drinks, shook them up, and opened them, letting the contents spray all over the floor and other players. The Crystal Cup was in the center of the room and all of them huddled around it.

"Man, I can't believe we finally did it! Cap'n Wakka's gonna be so excited when he gets back!" Letty exclaimed, picking up the trophy and hoisting it over his head proudly while the team simply admired it for a few moments.

Then Gatta and Barthello entered the room. "Congratulations on your victory," the Crusader said. "Sir Tidus, shall we get going?"

"Yeah, I guess so," he agreed. "Guys, I had a lot of fun. Thanks for letting me play with you."

"Thanks for helpin' us win," Botta returned.

"Oh yeah, and tell Cap'n Wakka the good news!" Jassu added.

"I will. See ya around."

Then the three of them left the locker room to continue their journey. As they exited the locker area, they noticed that most of the crowd had yet to leave. They were still hanging out around and inside the blitzball stadium. Tidus could overhear many of them talking about how great the tournament had been.

Then Gatta halted, causing the other two to stop in their tracks. "What's up?" the former Zanarkand Abes star asked.

He was staring intently at a small group of people across from them. "That's Dalan," he whispered softly, pointing to the individual.

"Huh?" He followed his finger to a short man with dark skin. He was balding, and what little hair he had left was short and dark brown. Tidus felt there was something strangely familiar about him, but decided to ignore that feeling for now. "Well, let's get him then," he suggested.

"We can't seize a man in broad daylight with this crowd around. None of them know he's done anything wrong," Gatta stated. "We'll just have to wait for the people to disperse a little, or we'll follow him to wherever he goes if he leaves. Then we'll catch him."

The young guardian was about to say something, but an overwhelming crash, followed by outrageous screams of fear and pain were heard inside of the arena. Then Dalan began to dash off of the scene, as everyone was distracted except for Gatta. He had started to pursue him, but Tidus got in the way and tried to hold him back. "No! Let him go! There's something going on in the stadium!"

The Crusader continued to struggle. "Yeah, and he's behind it! That's why he's running! We can't let him get away!" he said angrily.

"But the people in there are in danger, Gatta! We can't just abandon them! We gotta help them!"

Then he calmed himself down. He had been convinced. "You're right. Let's go!"

Then the three of them rushed through the gate leading to the stadium to discover what the problem was. They were shocked to see that the apparatus that generated the sphere pool had literally been lifted from its foundation and had fallen over, crushing and injuring many innocent civilians.

"This is terrible…" Tidus muttered, slowly shaking his head.

Gatta interrogated one of the people nearby. "What happened here?"

"I-I don't know…It just suddenly fell over…It was like it was a ghost or something," the man answered.

The Crusader thanked him for the information and returned to the two guardians. "Just as I thought. It was the Ronau Group. There's nothing we can do here. Let's keep going," Gatta said.

Tidus hesitated briefly, and then nodded reluctantly. They left the stadium and headed toward the city limits. They walked up the stairs past the tavern that led to the Mi'ihen Highroad. "Time to hit the road," he commented, and they began to follow the trail on their way to Zanarkand.

As they walked, the blonde-headed guardian had something to ask the Crusader. "Gatta…Why were the Guado attacking me during the game? They got somethin' against me?" he inquired.

"What? You mean you don't know?" he asked, almost in disbelief.

"Nope…Something I did?"

"Well, to make it simple…The Guado blame you for Maester Seymour's death. They believe that you had conspired from the beginning to murder him, and that's the only reason you joined High Summoner Yuna on her pilgrimage. They've made that claim public knowledge to everyone," he explained.

"What?! They said that?! That's just stupid!" Tidus exclaimed in incredulity.

"Yeah, no one else bought into that either, but the Guado still believe it. They hate you with a passion for supposedly ruining their chances of ever being joined together with humanity. They even refuse to acknowledge you as a true guardian," Gatta added.

They continued along the highroad on their journey in silence. Tidus observed the old structures of the ruined machina that littered the trail. They were the main features on the Mi'ihen Highroad. Other than the wreckage of the forbidden technology, it was not a very distinctive path. It was simply a wide dirt road with few travelers.

He knew that it had a special meaning to Gatta though, because this track not only led to Djose, but also led to the formation of Yevon's Crusaders. They were formerly known as the Crimson Blades, but Yevon had protested their organization. General Mi'ihen followed the very same highroad they were on now to confront the maesters to plead their cause. They were convinced and dubbed them the Crusaders, who pledged to fight Sin in the name of Yevon until it perished.

Tidus glanced over at Gatta, who was looking straight ahead with a determined look on his face. _(He must be focused on finding this Dalan guy.)_ he thought.

Then he looked back at Barthello, who remained as stoic as ever. It seemed as if little fazed him. He pondered back to the time that they had come across him in the Macalania Woods after he had lost Dona. He was in a panic, and it was the only occasion he had ever seen him in that manner.

Then the cheerful youth remembered what Auron had told him, about guarding his emotions first, and then guarding his summoner. He wondered if that was how it was with Barthello; he actually had something to say or express, but preferred to keep it inside. His philosophy was the complete opposite of his own. Tidus had no problem saying what he felt. He was simply an extrovert by nature.

_(But can people change their natures? It seems like Barthello has…Why am I even thinking about this anyway? It's not like it matters.)_ he thought.

Tidus was a curious person, and although he really wanted to ask the large guardian what was on his mind, he opted to keep quiet. Some people wanted privacy, and that was all there was to it. Barthello was just one of those types of people.

All of his thinking had caused him to lose track of time, and before he realized it, they came upon Rin's Travel Agency. "Hey, let's stop here!" he insisted, halting the progress of his comrades. 

"But why? There's still plenty of time before nightfall," Gatta commented, perplexed.

"I don't mean for the night. I just wanna rest here for a sec," he clarified.

The Crusader shrugged. "Fine by me. It's up to you."

So they took a break from their voyage momentarily and entered the Al Bhed shop. Inside, they found Rin, who was talking to Yuna's uncle and Rikku's father Cid, who was also the leader of their people. They held their conversation in their language. **"Did you hear about the incident in Luca?"** the bald man asked in his gruff voice.

**"Yes, I did. They still do not know who is behind all of it?"** Rin inquired in his usual calm voice.

Before he could answer, Tidus interjected. "Hey Cid, Rin!" he greeted.

"Well, lookie here. It's the guardian of my niece," Cid said, speaking in English.

"What are you doing here?" the blonde-headed youth asked curiously.

"What does it look like I'm doin'?! I'm talkin' to Rin!" he shot back.

"No, that's not what I meant…Aren't you going to Yuna's wedding?"

"To see her marry some Yevon Maester? Nah, I'd rather not," he replied.

"Oh, well, we're on our way there, actually…Hey, I heard what happened to the airship. Why'd you hand it over?" the young guardian asked, suddenly changing the subject.

"That's none of your business," Cid said rudely.

"…Sorry," he apologized, scratching the back of his head.

"Listen, if you're headin' to Zanarkand, you'd better watch your back. You hear about what happened in Luca?"

"Yeah, I was there."

"Really? Did you see anyone suspicious or do you know who's responsible?" the Al Bhed leader asked eagerly.

"Yeah, it was the Ronau Group," he answered.

"The who?" he asked, confused.

"You know, the Ronau Group. They've been behind a lot of the attacks in Spira the last couple years."

"I ain't ever heard the name before."

Tidus found it odd, but before he could say anything else, Gatta interrupted. "Sir Tidus, we should really be going."

The Crusader and Barthello left as he moved toward the door. "Good luck," Cid said.

He turned back around to face the two Al Bhed. "Thanks. Oh, and one more thing before I go…I didn't forget those words, did I?" he asked with a smirk.

Yuna's uncle chuckled and grinned as well. "Nope, you sure didn't. Thanks kid," he said kindly.

Then Tidus left, closing the door behind him.

_Author's Notes: I don't think that turned out very well. At least not as well as I'd hoped anyway. Sorry, but I don't know the Al Bhed language, so I decided to put the words they spoke in Al Bhed in bold. If someone could help me translate them, it'd be greatly appreciated. Anyway, let me know what you thought in a review along with some constructive criticism. It'll help me improve as a writer. God bless._


	7. Old Memories and Acquaintances

Chapter 7-Old Memories and Acquaintances 

They continued along the old Mi'ihen Highroad until they reached the wooden gate that led to Mushroom Rock Road. Gatta quickly turned away. He had some bad memories beyond there, to say the least. "What's wrong?" Tidus asked out of concern.

"You remember what happened past that gate, right? Operation Mi'ihen…where Luzzu, he…he…" The Crusader paused, breaking off into slight but noticeable sobs.

The blonde-headed youth patted him supportively on the back. "I know, I know. It's okay."

The mission had been a disaster, truly a catastrophe. It was a Crusader-Al Bhed joint operation to defeat Sin, falsely backed by Maesters Seymour and Kinoc. Those involved had been excommunicated from Yevon, except for the two maesters. They had pretended to support them so they would continue on their endeavor. The two of them willingly disposed of their lives just to prove some worthless point. Auron had said it best, about the traitors dying while the faithful lived on.

Sin had slaughtered the majority of them, including Gatta's best friend and fellow Crusader, Luzzu. Jecht had killed all of them. Tidus remembered how furious he had been that day. He had even been so rash as to swim after Sin as it left. The young guardian and the Crusader sighed loudly. "Let's just keep going," Gatta wisely suggested.

They turned off to the side onto the Djose Highroad. They followed the fairly straight path until they reached a fork in the road. The left path led to the Moonflow, and the right would take them to Djose. "No reason to head to Djose. Let's move on to the Moonflow," Gatta said.

"No, let's stop there for a little while," Barthello proposed, shocking the two of them by speaking out.

"What for?" Tidus asked curiously.

"Because Dona's here," he answered.

"Really? How do you know?" the cheerful guardian then asked.

"This is where she's from. I know she'll be here, and…I'd like to see her," he requested, almost pleadingly.

"Sure, let's go," he agreed.

It looked as if Gatta was about to protest, but he didn't and they took a detour to Djose. As they walked across the bridge, they gazed at the Lightning Mushroom Rock. Contained within was the temple where they had acquired the aeon Ixion. It would no longer perform the strange phenomenon that occurred when someone called upon the fayth in the chamber because the spiritual being no longer existed in this realm.

Barthello went ahead and into the temple. Tidus started to follow, but Gatta halted him. "Leave him be. It's obviously something he wants to deal with alone." The guardian nodded in agreement and they went into the nearby inn.

The bulky man slowly pushed open the door and stepped inside the Djose Temple. He spotted Dona standing in front of a statue, hanging her head sadly. The scantily clad woman turned around at the sound of his heavy footsteps. "What do you want, Barthello?" she asked snidely.

He awkwardly stuttered and stumbled over his words, searching for the right things to say. "L-Look, Dona…I'm…I'm sorry about…all that happened. I know I failed you," he said apologetically.

"This again?" the former summoner asked with an annoyed sigh.

"I feel really bad about letting all that happen to you, but I feel even worse that you're so angry with me because I…" Barthello paused.

"…What? Because you what?" Dona asked, urging him to answer.

"I…You're the only friend I have. I don't want to be alone like this," the large man replied sincerely.

"And you think that's enough for me to forgive you? I quit my pilgrimage because I was afraid of something else happening to me! My trusted guardian let me down! I have to live in shame now because I gave up!" she exclaimed vehemently.

The muscular powerhouse hung his head and couldn't even look at her. "I'm sorry…"

"Stop apologizing! It won't do either of us any good! Why should I forgive you?" Dona inquired.

"You're right. You have no reason to forgive me. I was a terrible guardian. It was all my fault, and I know that. But I came here because I thought we could get past this, and we could be friends again," Barthello responded hopefully.

"Then you came here for the wrong reason," she rejected. "You should get going."

He was about to continue to plead his case, but turned away in silent resignation. He left, leaving her behind to continue his trek with Tidus and Gatta. He entered the inn slowly, looking at his feet as they shuffled across the ground. "So how'd it go?" the young guardian asked anxiously. He raised up to face them, and his expression said it all. "Oh…Sorry."

"Let's get going," Gatta said and they continued on their way.

They crossed the bridge once more and went back to the split in the paths again. This time, they followed the other road that would take them to the south end of the shoopuf wharf. The sun was beginning to set, indicating that this would probably be their last stop of the day. They were all beginning to feel tired anyway, each from different causes.

Tidus had been fatigued and hurt in the blitzball tournament. He had begun to notice purplish bruises forming where the Guado had viciously attacked him. He had taken a beating, but it was worth it in the end. He had truly enjoyed playing the game again.

Gatta had reminisced about those painful memories of losing his best friend and had felt depressed all day. They had also let Dalan slip away when he had been so close to them. He could've captured him. Why did he have to be held back? Who knows what might have happened if they had been able to keep up with the diabolical terrorist?

Barthello's pride had been hurt. He was shunned by his only true friend, meaning he had none now. Maybe he could make friends with his traveling companions. The muscular guardian wasn't sure why he had decided to come along on their journey in the first place. Maybe it was so he could see Dona, but that would mean he had no reason to stay with them. He was still there, heading to the renovated ancient city of Zanarkand for reasons unknown to him. 

It was none of his business, so Barthello felt no need to ask. However, he couldn't help wondering why they were on the excursion to Yevon's holy city. He had known that High Summoner Yuna and her guardians were there. Maybe that was why, but it didn't explain why the Crusader was with him as well. Maybe it was just as a traveling buddy, which was basically the purpose he served at the moment.

In the end, he decided he would continue with them, no matter what, even though he could have easily left them, and they wouldn't have protested. Perhaps he didn't wish to be alone and enjoyed their company, or maybe it was so he could see it through to the end, which he had been unable to do with Dona.

Night had fallen by the time they reached the Moonflow. It was a clear, calm, beautiful evening. The bright moon hung in the sky like a pendant, while the countless stars were scattered across the blackness like miniature jewels. However, it was not that spectacular sight that mesmerized and captivated the attention of the three adventurers as they stared out at the crystal clear waters, with moon lilies floating upon its surface.

"Whoa…" Tidus said in quiet awe.

"That's amazing," Gatta commented, mouth dropping open in astonishment, while Barthello observed the splendor and brilliance of this occurrence wordlessly.

The spectacle was simply breathtaking. The moon lilies emitted pyreflies that danced around over the water, in a random yet somehow elegant fashion. The multi-colored flashes of energy practically covered the surface of the sea, as the lilies released a seemingly endless supply. They rose up high into the air out of sight and disappeared, as the next batch of pyreflies replaced them. The luminosity of these colorful natural wonders reflected upon the surface of the waters, but it was difficult to differentiate which were real and which were the illusions due to the massive number of them.

The group sat down on the soft patch of grass next to the water and continued to behold the magnificent event. Tidus smiled in wonder, and recalled when he had visited this place for the first time. It was during the day, so there were no pyreflies floating around magically. He had said they would come back to see it after they defeated Sin, which led to a prolonged silence he hadn't understood at the time. He didn't know Yuna wasn't supposed to get the chance to come back. Now she could, and Tidus wished she was by his side so they could watch it together.

They decided to rest for the night and fell asleep next to the Moonflow.

_Author's Notes: Well, what did you think? I apologize if Barthello was out of character in any way, but I felt like he would choose to express his feelings to Dona in this situation. I was pleasantly surprised by the way the whole scene at the Moonflow turned out. I didn't know I could write anything that well (not meaning to sound arrogant). Anyway, write me a review along with some constructive criticism. It'll help me improve as a writer. God bless._


	8. Pre-Wedding Jitters

Chapter 8- Pre-Wedding Jitters 

They had managed to return it to its former glory. Maybe not entirely, but the wondrous city of Zanarkand had been rebuilt, nonetheless. No machina were used, since the Grand Maester had forbidden it. It definitely wasn't the technologically advanced city it had been a thousand years ago, or even the version that the fayth and Yu Yevon had dreamed to recreate and preserve its memory, but it would have made Tidus proud. Yuna was sure of it.

The High Summoner had started this project in dedication of her lost love. That was how she had met Adonijah. All four maesters were gone, so Yevon desperately rallied for support, and appointed him, a devout monk who firmly believed the teachings and was oblivious to the secrets the four had kept, as the new Grand Maester. He had been astonished when he had learned the truth about Yu Yevon, the maesters, the machina in Bevelle Temple, among other things.

He immediately went public, revealing the evil and hypocrisy committed by those who had been in charge before him. He had vowed to change those things, and return Yevon to what it was supposed to be: a religion endowed with the truth, and to use it for the good of Spira and its people.

After hearing about how the Yevonites had treated them and lied to them, the people were naturally skeptical of Adonijah's intentions. To gain favor and to prove he was planning to do what he had said, he had all the machina found inside the temple at Bevelle removed and destroyed. It cut off access to much of the inside area, including the Chamber of the Fayth, but it wasn't like that portion was needed anymore.

Then Adonijah undertook a journey to Zanarkand to overlook the construction. He was very eager to meet High Summoner Yuna, the savior of Spira. The first time he laid eyes on her had nearly left the Grand Maester breathless. She was absolutely gorgeous to behold, but he found it hard to believe someone as frail as she was had defeated Sin. However, Yuna was stronger than she appeared at first glance.

They both made a great impression on each other. During his stay, he spent a majority of his time with her. She had told him the whole story about Tidus, and he attempted to comfort her. That was when each of them had begun to believe they had feelings for the other. It had happened months after their original meeting, having already forged a solid friendship. At first, it gave Yuna some doubts about whether he was the right one for her since she had felt like Tidus was the one soon after they met. Then she tried to shake it off and carry on with her life.

Adonijah had also gained the trust and respect of her guardians. After their engagement, his popularity and approval ratings soared throughout Spira. They figured if a summoner that had once been branded a heretic and traitor by Yevon could love a Grand Maester, they had nothing to fear. 

At the end of the construction period, three enormous statues of Tidus, Auron, and Jecht were erected outside of the Zanarkand Dome, which was basically its temple. Yuna stood before them silently with Adonijah at her side. She looked over at him and smiled happily, which he immediately returned with one of his own.

He was a very tall man, at least a foot higher than Yuna. He possessed thoughtful light brown eyes with spiked hair of the same shade. Adonijah was pale, but not nearly as much as his fiancée. He still wore the traditional Yevon robe of the maesters.

Wakka approached them slowly from behind. "Hey Yuna." The couple turned around to face him. "Hello, sir," the blitzball captain greeted formally, saluting with the prayer gesture.

"Wakka…You needn't be so formal with me. I told you that you didn't have to do that. We're friends," Adonijah reminded.

He scratched the top of his head and chuckled somewhat embarrassedly. "Oh yeah, sorry. I keep forgetting, ya?" Wakka had cut off the large red spike of hair, and the rest of it was shorter as well. Other than that, he remained the same physically.

"No need to apologize," the Grand Maester said.

"It's just I'm so nervous, you know? I've been pacin' the city all day. I wonder how the Aurochs did without me," he confessed.

"We'll find out when we get back, but I am sure they did well," Yuna said.

The Besaid native grinned and then looked up at the statue of Tidus. He wasn't sure how he would feel about all that was going on if he was here, but he didn't dare bring it up in front of Yuna. He knew it was still a fragile subject, but knew she was doing the right thing by moving on. Wakka felt she couldn't have done it without Adonijah, remembering how depressed she had been the short while after he had faded away. She was marrying the right person. He had completely restored his faith in Yevon by his noble actions. Maybe even the Al Bhed would be able to unite with the people of Yevon and they could live in peace, but not by forcing them to follow their ways. Wakka had realized that would never resolve anything after hanging around Rikku for so long. He no longer held a grudge against them either.

He walked away from them wordlessly, electing to give them some privacy. He spotted Lulu standing with her back to him in the place where they had gathered around a small fire upon their first arrival in Zanarkand. Wakka went over to her and initiated the conversation. "What are you doin' here?" he asked curiously.

"As if it were any of your business," Lulu replied coldly. The blitzball captain remained silent, wondering if something was bothering her. Then she turned around when she noticed he was still standing there. "What do you want?"

"Oh, I…I just wanted…to talk, I guess," Wakka stuttered nervously.

"So talk."

"Well…Uhh…What do you think of Yuna getting married?" he blurted out, having no real topic of discussion in mind beforehand.

"Why do you ask now?" Lulu inquired, perplexed.

"Well, I mean, it's so close and all. I was thinkin' maybe seeing that statue of Tidus might give her second thoughts, ya?" Wakka replied.

"She seems happy. I think that if she wanted to back out of it, she already would have," she stated.

"Wait…Didn't you once say that if she wanted to marry the one she loves, you would have to object?" the Besaid native asked.

"I only said that because of what the outcome of her pilgrimage would be," Lulu answered.

"Oh, right."

"…Are you, of all people, having doubts about her marrying Grand Maester Adonijah?"

"I dunno. It's probably just somethin' stupid, ya? I mean, he's a good guy, but I can't help thinkin' about what Yevon did to us," Wakka admitted.

"It's only natural. I'm sure Yuna has had those same feelings at one time, too," Lulu said.

"So you really think it'll be okay?" he asked curiously.

"Honestly, I don't know. But if something happens…That's what we are here for," the guardian responded.

"Yeah, you're right."

Meanwhile, Rikku was exploring the newly rebuilt Zanarkand in awe of its beauty. "It's so pretty…" she said aloud to herself. Pyreflies still floated around and lingered in the holy city, lighting up the sky brightly at night. "I wish Tidus could see it. He would've been so happy to see Zanarkand like this…"

Then she thought about Yuna's upcoming marriage to the Grand Maester of Yevon. He seemed like a nice guy on the outside, but she couldn't be sure. All of his predecessors had been the same way. Rikku had thought that Tidus was the one for Yuna, but knew it was pointless for the High Summoner to hold back because of that. Even still, the Al Bhed felt presentiments about Adonijah. She had good reasons to feel that way due to the superficiality of the previous maesters. Regardless of the outcome, she would completely support Yuna to the fullest.

As Rikku strolled throughout the city, not paying attention, she walked right into Kimahri. The Ronso was not budged at all, but she was bounced back a step. "Whoa! Sorry, Kimahri. Didn't see ya there!" she apologized.

He looked down at her wordlessly. "You really need to talk more, you know? You shouldn't be quiet all the time," Rikku commented. The towering guardian still remained silent. The Al Bhed sighed in frustration. "I can see you're not gonna say anything, as usual!" she exclaimed. "Do you have something against me?"

The Ronso shook his head, still preferring not to speak. "Giving me an answer with words would be nice, you know!"

"Ronso say much without words. Kimahri not need them," he stated.

"What do you mean, you don't need words?! Everybody's got somethin' to say, and we can't understand what you're thinking unless you talk to us, you know?"

He still said nothing in reply. She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Just forget it then. I guess you'll never understand us and we'll never understand you." Then she walked off on her own, continuing to travel around Zanarkand.

_Author's Notes: I apologize that it took me so long to get the next chapter out. I had been working fervently on another story trying to get it finished. It's finally done, and I can concentrate on this one more. I also apologize that this chapter sucked, too. It probably wasn't what you would have expected or wanted after so long. Anyway, just let me know what you thought in a review._


	9. A Storm Rising

Chapter 9-A Storm Rising 

In the morning, Tidus, Gatta, and Barthello woke up beside the banks of the Moonflow. The stream of pyreflies had died down dramatically, leaving only a small amount floating above the surface of the water. The muscular guardian was the first to his feet, with the other two following slowly behind. The former Zanarkand Abes star stretched out and groaned. "Whew, I slept great! I'm ready to hit the road!" he said enthusiastically.

The Crusader yawned and blinked several times to adjust his eyes to the early morning light. "Let's go then," he said.

The three of them made the short journey to the shoopuf wharf. The huge creature was lying down on its side, and the sound of its heavy breathing was very audible. They wandered over to the Hypello beside it, who steered it across the Moonflow waters. He seemed very concerned and was babbling almost incoherently. "Imposhibibble! Thish can't be!"

"What's wrong?" Tidus inquired.

"I don't know. It appearsh to be shick," he replied in the distinctive accent of his kind.

"So how are we gonna get across?"

"You'll have to find another way to crosh."

"Great…Just our luck," Gatta muttered.

"We could swim it," Tidus suggested.

"Are you serious? That's quite a distance," the Crusader retorted incredulously.

"Do you have a better idea?" He didn't answer. "I didn't think so."

Barthello was aware of the growing tension between the two men. He elected not to speak and let them make the decision themselves to avoid adding to the animosity by making him seem bias. He wondered what was the cause of the hostility. Barthello continued to observe quietly.

The silence prevailed for a few more moments before Gatta finally spoke. "Well, let's do it then."

The blitzball star strolled over to the water's edge and leaped in. The other two followed right after him. Nothing was said during the arduous swim to the other bank of the Moonflow. Tidus noticed the sunken city that Lulu and Wakka had pointed out on his first trip across on the shoopuf. He remembered the Besaid blitzball captain talking about how man desired to use if he ever had it. He hadn't believed it was true then, but after encounters with Seymour and Yunalesca, and learning the truth about Yevon, he was no longer sure.

Thoughts of anger entered into Tidus's mind at the memory of the Guado. He had almost stolen his love from him, he had slaughtered nearly all of the Ronso, and he had been so insane as to try to gain control of Sin to destroy Spira and "end its suffering." He never liked Seymour from the first time he saw him. He knew there had been something bad about him, and he wondered why the others didn't realize it sooner.

_(No, Auron probably knew, too.)_ Tidus thought.

Once it was finally over, the tired trio dragged themselves out of the water wearily. They laid on the ground, breathing deeply, while they let the sun dry them out. "Now that wasn't too bad, was it?" Gatta asked sarcastically.

Tidus ignored him and rolled over onto his stomach. He used his arms to push himself up to his knees. Then he stood up to his feet. His two traveling companions slowly returned to their feet also. "Well, Guadosalam is just past here…" he commented. He recalled the situation at the blitzball tournament in Luca with the Glories beating up on him.

"Yeah, and there's no easy way around it if you want to make it to Zanarkand on time," Gatta stated.

"So what do we do?"

"We'll have to find away to sneak through into the Thunder Plains quickly."

"How do we manage that?" the youthful guardian asked curiously.

"I'm not sure, but we'll think of something when we arrive," he assured.

Tidus sighed and they hesitantly headed for the small town. They pondered how they could get through without causing a ruckus and getting themselves killed. As they closed in on the entrance, the Crusader said, "Maybe we can just run past if there's no one guarding the way to the Thunder Plains." However, they were not fortunate enough to have that happen.

"Now what?" the blonde man asked.

"I have an idea. I'll go see if I can get that guy to move. They're not after me, right?" The former Abes star simply nodded in agreement. "You two wait here."

The guardians did as they were told as Gatta scurried over to the guard. They watched anxiously as they conversed, hoping it would work out. They released the breaths they hadn't realized they'd been holding as the Guado guard dashed off. Gatta waved them over, and the two of them hurried over to him.

"Good work," Tidus said.

"We need to be careful though. He said that it's the fiercest storm they've ever seen in there," he warned.

"Better than being here, I guess."

As they were preparing to enter, they heard the sound of dozens of footsteps pounding on the ground in a rush toward them. They turned around to see an enormous group of Guado coming straight at them. "What do we do?!" Tidus asked frantically.

"Run!" Barthello shouted, and they did.

_Author's Notes: I apologize for the slowness of my updates. I don't always have the time to write each day, but I'm doing my best here. I'm sorry this chapter was short, but this just seemed like the best place to stop. Let me know what you thought in a review. God bless._


	10. Run!

**Chapter 10- Run!**

They entered the Thunder Plains in an attempt to escape from the humongous squad of Guado warriors. They hesitated briefly when they beheld the extreme severity of the storm. The sky was completely white with the constant bolts of lightning shooting down from the clouds. The strong gusts of wind blew the hard rain into their faces, and the noise from the thunder striking was deafening.

(It's a "pick your poison" situation…Either we try to cheat death by running through the plains and dodging lightning, or we face certain death with the Guado…Well, here goes nothin'!)

"Keep moving once we get into the open! Run close to the towers!" Tidus shouted at the top of his lungs to be heard over the thunder.

He dashed into the open, followed by Gatta and Barthello. The Guado warriors were speedy runners, but they grouped themselves too closely together. When lightning struck near them, many could not avoid it due to the lack of space to maneuver, and many of them were killed as a result. 

A few broke away from the group and caught up to their prey as they got under the lightning tower. Tidus sliced one with the Brotherhood, but the others surrounded them by moving around the structure in opposite directions. One took a swing at Gatta, but he ducked and shoved his broadsword into his stomach. The bloody blade came out through his back and he dropped lifelessly once the Crusader's weapon was removed. Barthello used his overwhelming strength to lift a Guado, and tossed him into the others, toppling them over.

"Let's go!" Gatta exclaimed, and they rushed off again.

The bolts of lightning were relentless and the trio was forced to keep their distance from each other. Tidus hopped back when one hit in front of him, and then dove forward headfirst when another almost struck him. He rolled as he landed and started running again once he returned to his feet. The blitzball player ran at top speed, but his pursuers were still close by. None of them chased after Gatta or Barthello, but focused on the Zanarkand native.

He hid under another lightning tower and had to confront four of them on his own. They surrounded him and sly smirks crept across their faces.

"What are you guys so happy about, huh?" Tidus asked with a confident grin. He flipped over them to get outside of the ring they had formed around him. He slashed one across the chest as they turned, and then quickly sliced the next one diagonally down the chest and stomach. They cried out and stumbled backwards into the other two, tripping them up. _(I'm getting' better all the time.)_ he thought and began running again.

The muscular guardian and the Crusader were out of sight, leaving him to deal with the rest alone. Many of the Guado had been struck down by the lightning, but there were still quite a few to contend with. As he came close to Rin's Travel Agency, he contemplated trying to hide inside, but decided that it would be best to stay away from a place with innocent civilians inside. 

Tidus was beginning to get tired from his constantly rapid pace, and was surprised to see that his enemies did not appear fatigued from running. He ducked behind a tower to regain his breath and rest briefly. "I've only been back a few days, and I'm already running for my life," he commented to himself. "This wasn't what I expected at all." The lightning was striking the tower unceasingly. He couldn't even hear the words he had just said and could barely hear himself think. A small group of his pursuers got in front of him. "I don't have time to mess with you guys."

Tidus used his athletic ability to jump over them and began to flee again. The Guado were getting frustrated by his agility in dodging and escaping them. They gave chase once more, determined not to let him get away. The guardian was relieved to see that the Macalania Woods were in sight. _(I should be able to lose them in there. Most of them anyway.)_ he thought.

The storm was beginning to lessen in severity as he approached the end of the plains. Tidus was soaked with the heavy rain and the water dripped profusely from his clothes as he entered the forest. He used his swift feet to dash across the path and leapt into one of the trees. He managed to grab the branch and pulled himself up. Using the coordination and balance that was natural to a superstar blitzball player, he hopped from branch to branch in the trees, gradually rising higher and hiding himself from view in the leaves of the upper portion.

The guardian looked down on the Guado as the searched for him frantically. He remained still as they moved into the deeper parts of the forest. He breathed an immense sigh of relief once his hunters were gone. _(Now I gotta find Gatta and Barthello without running into the Guado again. Looks like the worst is over for now.)_ He slowly climbed down from the tree and began carefully navigating his way through the woods in search of his traveling companions. _(I wonder if I'll actually be able to find them. It's like a maze trying to get outta here, so they might've gone a completely different way.)_

He proceeded through the forest with caution to avoid being detected by any Guado that were still around. Tidus couldn't remember his way through, so he kept hoping he would be able to reach Lake Macalania soon. Beyond there was Bevelle, where he was sure he would find evidence to prove that Grand Maester Adonijah wasn't what he claimed to be; that he wasn't any different from the others. The machina in its temple was sufficient proof. Then the trip to Zanarkand afterwards was straightforward. The guardian would save his summoner from the fraud and they would be together again.

He missed her desperately and was eager to see her again. He was continuously thinking of her as he journeyed to her. There were only four days left to get there, and the current one was almost over. Tidus knew he would have to hurry once he found his comrades. His time was running out, and there was still plenty of ground left to cover.

As the former Abes star walked, he came to an area where brush had been cleared away, making a path. It had obviously been chopped up with a large sword. _(Could it be what I think it is?)_ he pondered.

He followed the open trail until he came to a pond with an oddly shaped tree behind it, which appeared to have a glowing orb nestled in its limbs. The young man remembered Auron telling him that this place was where spheres were formed, which were able to record people's memories. His father Jecht had one there during his pilgrimage with High Summoner Braska for his son to find in case he ever made it to Spira. They had left it there after viewing it ten year later. The blitzball star spotted it next to his feet. He knelt over and picked it up. "Dad…" he mumbled.

Then he heard the sound of many footsteps rushing down the path in his direction. He spun around and saw a dozen Guado appear before him. Tidus was trapped. There was no escaping unless he went through them, which would be a formidable task. He slid Jecht's sphere into his pocket and drew the Brotherhood. The Guado smiled deviously as they closed in on him. The dark-skinned guardian slowly backed up until his shoes dipped into the water of the pond. Once again, he heard the sound of more footsteps scurrying down the path.

(Great…Here come even more.)

However, he was pleasantly surprised to see Gatta and Barthello emerge from the brush. The muscular guardian grabbed one by the shoulders and turned him around. He punched the Guado fiercely in the nose and he immediately collapsed to the ground. The Crusader sliced another across the chest and he dropped as well. Tidus dashed into the fray and cut the legs of another foe off at the knees. The rest of the body dropped harmlessly to the ground while the legs remained upright.

Barthello snapped one's neck, and tossed the lifeless corpse into another opponent, knocking him down. Then Gatta mercilessly shoved his sword through the Guado's chest. The athletic blitzball player leapt into the air and used his strong legs to kick one of his enemies in the stomach. He was knocked off of his feet and traveled through the air for a short distance, and was quickly finished off by the bright blue blade.

Then the young guardian hastily turned around and slashed a Guado who was approaching from behind. Gatta extended his broadsword and spun around in a circle, slicing the throats of two foes that had surrounded him. Then Barthello rammed his head into another Guado's nose, killing him instantly. The Crusader and the other guardian easily took out the remaining two. They sheathed their swords, breathing heavily.

"Thanks, guys," Tidus said tiredly.

"No problem. We're just glad we were able to find you in time," Gatta said. "Let's keep moving. Lake Macalania isn't far, and then we'll stop for the night."

The trio continued until they exited the woods, and they could feel the frigid air of the region as soon as their feet touched the ever-present snow. It crunched as they walked to the Travel Agency. They entered the Al Bhed shop and went to sleep for the night.

_Author's Notes: I apologize for the length of time between these updates. I'm battling writer's block with this story, so I'm having a hard time coming up with ideas. I don't think this chapter was very good either, but let me know what you thought in a review. God bless._


	11. Melting Away

Chapter 11- Melting Away 

In the morning, they left the Al Bhed shop and continued their journey. As they walked past the frozen lake, they noticed small yet perceptible cracks in the ice where it was beginning to thaw. Previously, the presence of the Fayth of Shiva had prevented the lake from losing its thick layer of ice, but she was gone, and warmer weather was beginning to cause it to gradually melt.

Macalania Temple was a short distance from their location, but they would bypass it and head for Bevelle. Tidus had some bad memories from the icy temple. They had first fought Seymour there, and it had led them to being branded heretics of Yevon. The blonde guardian was glad they didn't need to go there. He wondered how they would be greeted once they arrived at Bevelle, the largest city on Spira, if at all. They had gone from traitors of the religion after conflicts with the Maesters to heroes after defeating Sin permanently. However, the general public was fickle, and he felt they were all likely forgotten except for Yuna.

The trio walked along the path that Tidus had taken on the machina vehicle with Lulu. It was there that she truly began to believe that he did come from a world without Sin, like he said. She realized that he was actually from a different Zanarkand that their own.

"Zanarkand isn't too far now. At our current pace, we should actually get there the day before the wedding," Gatta commented.

"Good. The sooner we get there, the better," the former Abes star said.

"Things shouldn't be very difficult now that we got away from the Guado."

"All that's left to worry about is finding Dalan," Tidus stated.

"…Yeah, but I doubt we'll run into him or anyone else from the Ronau Group before Zanarkand unless they strike at Bevelle, but that's unlikely. Too much security there," the Crusader said.

"That reminds me…When we spoke to Cid, he said he'd never heard of the Ronau Group before. Why is that?" he inquired curiously.

"…They're a hard group to track. Only people like the Crusaders or the Maesters know much about them. They try to keep things like this out of the public eye," Gatta explained.

"That's what a secretive group like them would want! Why are you guys doing that?!"

"People are still worried about another serious threat like Sin. It's best to let them think that this is simply a chain of unrelated events. Their fears need to be alleviated," the Crusader replied.

"But that's not right! You're lying to them!" the guardian exclaimed in an outrage.

"No offense, but you just don't understand how things work in Spira, Sir Tidus. The citizens are fragile. Any serious threat to their safety can cause an enormous uproar," he said.

"So what if the truth gets out and they find out you've been lying to them? That'd be even worse."

"That won't happen. It's a well-kept secret, and no one would dare leak it out," Gatta assured confidently.

Tidus sped up his walking pace in frustration and moved ahead of them. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Then a thought entered his mind. He stopped and ran his hands through his blonde hair. Then he spun around to face his companions. "Does Adonijah know?"

"Most likely."

"What about Yuna?"

"Probably not. We don't disclose to those not involved and those who don't need to know," the Crusader replied.

"He's hiding that from her," he muttered to himself with a sigh. Then he turned back around and began to walk again.

Barthello listened silently to their arguing, preferring not to speak out. There was definite dissention between Tidus and Gatta with their differing points of view. The muscular guardian knew there was nothing he could do to help them. His conversational skills were weak. He was more of a fighter than anything else; protecting his friends was what he did best.

"Look, let's just forget about this for now," Gatta suggested. "We're getting nowhere, and we don't have the time."

"I guess you're right," Tidus agreed and then they were quiet.

Shortly afterwards, they approached Macalania Temple, and the snow surrounding it was beginning to melt. The top of the structure connected to a ceiling of ice, and the icicles that were hanging down dripping slightly. A drop of water splashed on Barthello's head, but he ignored it. They walked around the perimeter of the place of worship until they reached a frozen path that led out of Macalania.

They were unaware that it was slick, and once Tidus placed his foot upon the trail, he immediately slipped and landed roughly on his back. He began sliding down the ice, unable to stop himself. "Whoa!!!!" He attempted to steer himself along the curved road with his feet. It managed to keep him on the track, although it wasn't extremely effective.

Gatta and Barthello briefly exchanged glances. "I guess we have no choice but to go after him," the dark-skinned Crusader resolved.

The thin soldier hesitantly stepped onto the slide and raced after his comrade. Then the bulky guardian fearlessly followed after them. They also used their feet to turn along the path to avoid a dangerous drop off of the edge. Tidus was trying to stand up and break into a sprint unsuccessfully. He couldn't obtain enough balance to remain upright. 

It was a long trip, but the trio eventually reached the end of the narrow iced trail and came to a halt on the snow, which was thawing out into merely slush. They were drenched by the melting ice and were panting heavily, exasperated by the fearful descent.

"Never…wanna do that…again," Tidus uttered, gasping for breath.

"No kidding," Gatta said.

Barthello rose to his feet and wiped the slush off of his clothes. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"Just a minute," the other guardian replied. They stood up as well. "Did we lose anything?"

"No, I don't think so," the Crusader responded.

They journeyed for a lengthy period of time, but eventually reached the city of Bevelle. Towering buildings encircled them: places of business seemed to be grouped on their left, while large apartment complexes and other residential areas were primarily on their right side. Straight ahead of them was a long set of stairs, which led to the Highbridge and the temple in the center of the majestic city. None of them were impressed, however, since each had already been in Bevelle before.

They ascended the stairs calmly with only the sounds of their footsteps penetrating the silence. Many of the citizens and monks walked past them or with them without a word as well. The residents of the city were tranquil and not easily excited, especially the Yevonite monks.

_(Now's my opportunity to prove that this Adonijah guy's a fraud. The machina in the temple will prove it.)_ Tidus thought.

"Where are we heading, Sir Tidus?" Gatta inquired curiously. "We don't need to go this way."

"To the temple to show you Adonijah isn't all he's saying he is," he replied.

"I don't know what you hope to accomplish with this."

"Yuna deserves to know the truth, and so do the people of Spira."

"We don't have time for this! We can still travel some more before nightfall. Let's keep moving!" the Crusader said.

"This won't take long…Trust me," the young guardian said before rashly sprinting ahead.

The other two dashed after him as he hurried toward Bevelle Temple. The doors were already opened, so Tidus rushed in without hesitation. However, he quickly halted when he spotted someone in front of him. He was staring around in confusion, searching desperately for something. "Where'd all the machina go?" he asked aloud. Gatta and Barthello entered the temple and stopped behind their comrade. The man turned around at the sound of their loud footsteps. "Who's there?!"

"Dalan!" Tidus exclaimed.

"We've got you now, Dalan!" Gatta said proudly. "Just give it up!"

"No chance of that!" the Ronau Group member said, reaching into his pocket.

He withdrew a small, round item and tossed it onto the floor in front of them. Before they could react, it exploded, releasing large plumes of thick, black smoke. The trio began coughing uncontrollably, choking on the smog. Hurried footsteps were heard rushing past them. The former blitzball ace felt a hand grab his shoulder momentarily and then released its grip. He began moving toward the exit, trying to get out of the smoke, and his comrades followed. They rubbed their eyes to wipe the tears from their eyes caused by the plumes.

"Where'd he go?" the Crusader asked. At the bottom of the stairs, he spotted his primary suspect. "There he is! Let's go!" He ran after Dalan in hot pursuit, leaving the others behind.

"Gatta, wait! He's going the wrong way! We don't have time! We can't catch him!" Tidus exclaimed. "Great…Now I'm starting to sound like him."

The Zanarkand native hesitantly began going after him along with Barthello. Dalan dashed through Bevelle, rudely knocking people out of the way and looking back to keep an eye on his pursuers. Gatta leaped over fallen civilians, not willing to allow anything to delay him. The two guardians were also forced to avoid helping the inhabitants in order to keep pace with their companion.

Soon they were outside of the city limits and immediately felt the decline in the temperature. They saw their breath as they ran, and then passed through it. The Ronau Group member was fast, and they were not gaining ground on him. They gave chase for a long time, eventually returning to the snowy fields of Macalania. However, it was gradually continuing to melt and the freezing substance filled their shoes.

They approached a bridge made of ice that they had traversed earlier in the day. Tidus feared that it might not be stable enough for all of them to get across since they had heard it cracking when they walked over it before. As Dalan stepped onto it, the bridge began crumbling and by the time he was on the other side, it was too ruined to attempt to cross. The suspect continued to flee while the trio was forced to come to a stop.

Gatta stomped his foot on the ground, irritated. "Almost had him! He won't get away next time though!" he vowed.

The rage had been building up inside of Tidus all day, and he finally unleashed it. "Gatta, what were you thinking?!" he yelled.

The Crusader turned around, perplexed. "What?"

"Why'd you go after him?! We spent most of the day traveling to Bevelle, and then you drag us all the way back to Macalania to chase after Dalan! We lost most of the ground we gained today because of this! By the time we get to Bevelle, it's gonna be too dark to keep going! We probably could've at least made it to the Calm Lands by tonight, but now we've gotta waste most of tomorrow to get there!"

Then, without another word, he turned around and started walking back to Bevelle. Gatta and Barthello exchanged shocked expressions, and silently followed him back to the grand city.


	12. Looking Back

Chapter 12- Looking Back 

The trip back to Bevelle was ominously silent. Tidus was visibly fuming due to the setback that was going to delay them by a day. Gatta and Barthello elected not to speak out to avoid irritating him any further. They also intentionally walked a few paces behind the guardian.

The sun was setting by the time they reached Spira's largest city again. The cloudless sky was vividly filled with bright oranges, pinks, purples, and scarlet. The colors were spread out evenly, as if the scene had been painted. Tidus stared up at the sky, pensively thoughtful. He wondered if he would actually be able to see Yuna before she married the Grand Maester. 

His anger had faded during the journey, and it had been replaced with depression. The blitzball ace knew he should confer with his comrades about their next move. He stopped at the city limits, and the other two suddenly halted in their tracks as well. He turned around to face them. Gatta had expected to see contempt in his eyes, but instead found sadness lurking within them.

"What do you think we should do?" Tidus inquired, depression evident in his voice.

"…We could probably reach the end of the Macalania Woods before the Calm Lands by nightfall," the Crusader replied.

"Sounds good. Let's go."

They navigated through Bevelle in a relatively short amount of time, and found themselves once again in the forest. The vast gathering of foliage encompassed Bevelle and the frozen areas of Macalania. A large chunk of the forest was removed in order to construct Bevelle, and even though the two sections of the wooded area were separated, both were collectively known as the Macalania Woods. The true boundary of it was at the entrance to the Calm Lands. However, that region had also been previously covered with lush greenery before the machina war in which Bevelle decimated Zanarkand and the surrounding areas. The subsequent battles with Sin and a summoner's Final Aeon made the land even more destitute and barren.

Once darkness had fallen, Gatta suggested setting up camp. They did, and then the Crusader and Barthello decided to go to sleep. Tidus couldn't doze off and remained outside of the tent. He wandered around the area aimlessly. Soon he came to a place he recognized. It was the spring where he had spent his only intimate moment with Yuna. He remembered every single moment of it. There was no way he would ever forget that time.

He had been trying to convince Yuna to quit the pilgrimage after he had discovered the truth about it. She had been so distraught since her disastrous wedding to Seymour and then having to confront him a second time in battle. The Zanarkand native had wanted to cheer her up and offered to take Yuna with him to his hometown. Tidus wished to get her away from a fate of certain death because he felt she deserved better than that, and she shouldn't have to sacrifice herself.

He could tell she wanted the same thing as well, but realized she couldn't have it. Her will and her desire to protect the people of Spira were too strong to overcome. When the summoner began to weep uncontrollably, Tidus couldn't contain himself any longer. He kissed her, and she gladly returned it once she had gotten over her initial shock. Yuna was so beautiful that night, bathed in the moon's gentle glow. The blitzball ace hadn't expected her to reciprocate, but was ecstatic when she did. The moment was over far too soon, and the reality of the situation dawned on them when the journey continued the next day.

Tidus knew that it was likely the only romantic moment he would ever have with her, but the circumstances that led to their eventual separation were drastically different than any of them had expected. He had been the reason that their relationship had been terminated before it had even gotten a chance to start, and not Yuna. The former Abes star hoped that things could start anew once they were reunited. Perhaps the same scenario awaited him once he rescued her from a wedding with Adonijah like when he had saved her from Seymour's clutches after their so-called wedding.

The guardian waded into the shallow waters. The moon was reflecting off of the surface, shining down magnificently as it had that night. After proceeding deeper into the spring, he dove under the water and began swimming around. Tidus had always loved to swim, and it came naturally with his blitzball skills. 

After a while, he rose up and floated on the surface, lying perfectly still. He gazed up at the blanket of stars that covered the heavens. He glanced over at the lone tree that overlooked the spring on the bank. He was still wondering how his friends would receive him. He knew he would need to protect Yuna from the threat of assassins as well. Then the guardian's mind drifted back to the Ronau group.

_(What was Dalan doing in the temple anyway? What was he looking for? Then he ran in the opposite direction of Zanarkand. Why would he do that? I wish I knew what was going on here. There's still do many things I don't understand. How did I end up back in Spira in the first place? I thought I was just a dream of the Fayth. Now they've been sent, and yet I'm here.)_ Tidus thought.

He began swimming back toward the shore. He realized that there was no use thinking about it. He wouldn't find his answers. He stepped out of the water, and slid his hands through his wet blonde hair. It stuck straight up in the air. He returned to the campsite and went to sleep as well.

It was sunrise in Zanarkand, and Yuna was already awake. Sleep had been hard to come by for the past few days, and she would stroll around the ancient city. She was still impressed by how well it had been restored. The high summoner was sure he would've been pleased with it. As the sun was creeping over the horizon, she stood in front of the three statues erected in honor of Tidus, Auron, and Jecht. The sunlight bounced off of the bronze, causing it to gleam brightly. Yuna shielded her eyes as the light was reflected into them.

"Yunie!" exclaimed a cheerful voice far behind her. She turned around to see Rikku heading her way. The Al Bhed waved frenetically, which the summoner returned with a casual wave and a grin. "You're up early, as usual!"

"Yeah, but…what are you doing up so early?" Yuna inquired curiously.

"I couldn't sleep either. I'm so excited! Tomorrow's the big day! I gotta admit, Adonijah's not so bad…You know, for a Yevonite."

The brown-haired woman giggled. "Yeah…"

Rikku stared up at the bronze statue of her friend Tidus. "You know, you spend an awful lot of time here. You're not having second thoughts or anything, are you?"

Yuna shook her head negatively. "No…I just…miss him," she replied.

"Me too, Yunie. We all do, but we gotta move on, you know?"

The summoner nodded slowly. "Yes, you're right," she agreed.

She saw her fiancé, Adonijah, approaching from afar off. The Al Bhed looked back to see who was coming as well. "Aren't you gonna go to him?"

"O-Of course!" Tossing one final glance at the statue of her cherished guardian, she dashed off to greet the Maester.


	13. Rough Trip

Chapter 13- Rough Trip 

When Tidus, Gatta, and Barthello woke up in the morning, they immediately set out on their journey. As they exited the Macalania Woods, they came to the vast expanse of barren, flat fields known as the Calm Lands. The only visibly inhabited area was the Al Bhed trading post in the center of the grassland.

"We should stop at that shop to grab some supplies," Gatta suggested. "I've heard Mount Gagazet is a long and arduous trip."

"Good idea," Tidus agreed.

The trio headed down the incline until they reached the base of the valley. They moved from the featureless southern portion of the Calm Lands toward the central area. They passed by three tall jagged rocks that protruded from the ground where Yuna had confronted Belgemine in a contest of Aeons during the pilgrimage.

They arrived at the Al Bhed outpost to find a group of them conversing at the entrance. They each wore the customary goggles, with sleeveless black shirts, puffy red pants that were knee-length, and black boots. They all had jet-black hair as well. They didn't even seem to notice the three as they passed by. Tidus glanced at them with a puzzled expression momentarily, but shook it off. They continued on and purchased some goods from an Al Bhed clerk. As they began to leave, the Zanarkand native turned around to look at the group once more, but they had disappeared from sight.

_(Where'd they go?)_ Tidus shrugged and they moved to the east, toward the icy summit of Gagazet.

They crossed the plains until they reached the path that led to the Monster Arena. Tidus and Gatta walked past the entrance and then they heard a shout emanating from Barthello. They quickly spun around to see two of the black-haired Al Bheds swinging their swords at the muscular guardian.

"I knew there was something strange about them!" the blonde guardian exclaimed.

Tidus drew the Brotherhood and Gatta pulled out his broadsword. They rushed to their friend's aid and began dueling with their assailants. The former Abes star grunted as he sliced at one. He desperately raised his sword in defense as he was caught by surprise. The forceful strike knocked him off balance, causing him to trip and fall to the ground. Then Tidus shoved his sword through his stomach, but his victim didn't utter a sound. He simply faded away into a multitude of pyreflies.

Gatta swiped at his foe's chest, but he was blocked. The silent assassin aimed for the Crusader's head, but he ducked and slashed at his ankles. His opponent leaped over it, but was shocked when enormous hands grabbed him by the shoulders. He was slammed against the rock wall, and then the Crusader stabbed him in the stomach while his bulky comrade held him still. Like his partner, he quietly exploded into a colorful array of pyreflies.

"Why did they attack us?" Tidus wondered.

"There's no doubt that they were from the Ronau Group. They're probably trying to keep anyone from reaching Zanarkand," Gatta remarked. "There were more of them. Keep your guard up."

They moved on, exiting the Calm Lands through the northeast canyon. They came to the bridge that crossed the gorge. In the valley below was the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth, where they had acquired the Aeon Yojimbo for an outrageous sum of money. They walked across the overpass, unaware that two more assassins were tucked away under the planks, waiting to ambush them. 

As soon as they felt the vibrations caused by their footsteps, they swung from the railing and landed on the walkway behind their targets without a sound. They cautiously withdrew poisonous darts from their pockets to avoid being detected prematurely. Then they sent them flying toward the trio. Barthello, who had learned to sense even the faintest disturbances as part of his training as a guardian, heard them whizzing through the air.

"Get down!" he shouted, almost tackling them to force them down to the floor of the bridge.

They raised their heads to watch the darts pass overhead and imbed themselves into the rock wall, chipping small pebbles off of it. They speedily returned to their feet and faced their enemies. The two Ronau operatives briefly exchanged glances, and then one of them leaped high into the air and landed on the other side of the three. Tidus spun around to confront the man obstructing their path to Mount Gagazet, while Gatta and Barthello kept their gazes fixed on the other.

The assassins pulled out two daggers, and then each tossed one at the trio in between them. The guardians and the Crusader dropped again without hesitation as the weapons soared over harmlessly, almost clashing together as they passed the other. The two operatives stood still fearlessly as the sharp knives came toward their foreheads. Then they shot their hands up with blinding speed, and snatched the daggers by the handle with the tip of it inches away from their faces.

As their foes were rising up again, the Ronau members silently dashed toward them. One swiped at Barthello's head, but he ducked to avoid it. As if he had been expecting the reaction, he stabbed at the muscular guardian with the other knife. He was unable to dodge the second strike, and it was successfully planted into his right shoulder. Even the normally quiet man couldn't help yelling out in pain as blood began pouring freely from the fresh wound.

Immediately, Gatta slashed at the assassin's neck and decapitated his enemy. The head fell over the side of the bridge, and the body fell limply backwards, transforming into a pillar of pyreflies before it hit the ground.

The other Ronau operative stabbed at Tidus's stomach, but the former Abes star hopped back and sliced the silent opponent's left arm off at the elbow with his bright blue blade. The man disguised as an Al Bhed didn't even appear to be fazed by the severing of his limb, and continued to stab at the blond guardian with his other sharp dagger. The blitzball ace swiped it from his hand with his sword and then impaled his foe through the chest. The quiet killer exploded into pyreflies before Tidus even had the chance to withdraw the Brotherhood from the lifeless body.

Then he turned his attention to his injured comrade. Barthello tentatively pulled the knife from his shoulder and threw it over the bridge. Then he clutched the open wound as the blood continued to flow profusely.

"You okay?!" Tidus asked, concerned.

The muscular guardian shook his head negatively. He was in an extreme amount of pain. He couldn't even open his eyes, and his teeth were clenched tightly as he attempted to bear it.

"Give him an elixir!" the Zanarkand native demanded.

Gatta fumbled through the pouch that contained their supplies until he found the vial that contained the healing liquid. He opened it and poured the contents into Barthello's mouth. He swallowed it and the pain from the deep gash eventually went away, although the wound was still open. Tidus ripped the right sleeve off of his yellow shirt and wrapped it tightly around his traveling partner's shoulder. It instantly became soaked with blood as it gradually began to stifle the bleeding.

"Thank you," Barthello uttered gratefully.  
"No prob."

"Mount Gagazet is straight ahead. It's going to be rough. Are you gonna be able to go on?" Gatta inquired.

The quiet guardian nodded and began to walk toward their next destination, removing his hand from his shoulder and attempting to ignore the pain. The other two glanced at each other momentarily, shrugged, and followed him.

After a short trip, they reached the chilly base of the mountain. _(The last barrier before reaching Zanarkand.)_ Tidus thought. He was already feeling the cold air, especially on his bare right arm. He absent-mindedly rubbed his hand over the appendage, trying to generate some friction to warm up.

There was not much snow at the bottom of Gagazet. Thin patches were spread around, with a clear path of rock leading into the depths of the crag. Tidus frowned as he remembered Seymour nearly eradicating the Ronso tribe completely here, which brought a rare display of emotion from Kimahri. He sighed loudly, causing his two companions to gaze over at him.

"Something wrong?" Gatta asked.

He began to head into the mountains, ignoring the question posed at him. "Let's go."

They moved on behind him into the icy terrain. They all felt an immediate and sharp decline in the temperature and an increase in the snow's thickness. It began to crunch as they stepped on it. The rock wall extended higher than they could see, and one look off of the edge of the cliff was enough to make Gatta leap back in fright. All he could see was darkness down below in the deep pit. As the trio continued to travel, the Crusader's hand slid along the wall to make sure he didn't stray too far from it.

As they journeyed along the curved, snowy paths, they passed numerous graves of fallen summoners and guardians who had come just short on their pilgrimage. Tidus cringed as they walked by the area where they had fought Seymour for a third time. It was one of the most grueling battles he had faced as Yuna's guardian. He had been totally exhausted after they finally defeated him.

As he was reminiscing, a small stone hit him on top of the head. "Ow! What was that?!" he exclaimed, placing his hand on the spot and rubbing it gingerly.

Then he began to get an eerie feeling as a shower of miniscule pebbles rained down on them. The trio looked up to see a humongous boulder tumbling down the side of the rock wall toward them. Their eyes widened, and they desperately dove out of the way. However, as it crashed down onto the path, it didn't roll into the dark chasm, but stopped on the thick snow. It covered almost the entire road, and Barthello had jumped the other way. He was trapped on the opposite side, effectively cut off from his fellow comrades.

Tidus started to push on the boulder, but to no avail. It wouldn't budge at all, even when Gatta joined him. "Argh! We can't get to him! What do we do? We can't just leave him here!"

Then two more of the Ronau operatives disguised as Al Bhed dropped from the skies and landed on top of the enormous rock. "I should've known it was them!" Gatta remarked angrily.

The assassins immediately set their sights on Barthello after seeing the bloodstained bandage over his shoulder. "Tidus! Gatta! Run!" he shouted.

"No way! We can't leave you behind like this!" the blitzball ace refused.

"There's nothing you can do! Go before they come for you, too!"

The two silent killers leaped off and landed in front of the muscular guardian. After much debate in his mind, Tidus reluctantly dashed in the other direction with a groan, and Gatta did the same. He never looked back to make sure he didn't have a chance to reconsider. They stopped once they reached the cavern where the clusters of Fayth had fathered to preserve Zanarkand in a dream state.

The cold beads of sweat were glistening on their foreheads, and they took a moment to wipe them off. The area looked lifeless without the constant visible activity of the Fayth, whose bodies had become encased in stone, and the giant sphere that contained the dream itself. Tidus touched the rock outline of one and recalled what had happened when he had touched it when they still existed.

Once again, he sighed. _(Almost there.)_

Then they continued up Mount Gagazet until they reached the caverns of darkness. Fortunately, the puzzles within were inactive, so the trip through was quick. However, at the exit, three more members of Ronau were waiting on them. They lined up side-by-side, blocking access to the outside of the cave.

"Should've known they'd be here," Gatta commented as he drew his broadsword.

Tidus silently pulled out the Brotherhood as their three foes withdrew their weapons. The one on the left had a spear, the one in the middle had a long, thin sword, and the one on the right had a nunchaku. The guardian and Crusader took the initiative and fearlessly charged at them. The taciturn swordsman slashed at them, but they hopped in different directions to dodge it. Gatta then engaged in a duel with him. 

Tidus swiped at the man with the spear, but was effortlessly blocked. Then the silent assassin lunged at him, but the Zanarkand native jumped above the weapon, and fiercely stomped onto it on the way down, snapping it in half. His enemy stumbled backwards, leaving himself completely defenseless. Tidus mercilessly plunged the blade into the operative's stomach. He faded away into pyreflies, and the guardian focused on the one with the nunchaku.

Gatta aimed low at the warrior's ankles, but his long blade easily prevented the broadsword from doing any harm, and then the assassin moved the blade up and sliced at the Crusader's neck in one fluid motion. The dark-skinned man was barely able to defend it, and was knocked off balance. He stumbled backwards and landed roughly on his back. His head slammed against the rocks, and he could feel his warm blood on his hair.

Then he saw the long sword coming at him, and he rolled backwards to his feet. Then Gatta leaped forward and began attacking aggressively. Driven by a rush of adrenaline, he relentlessly slashed at his enemy, who struggled to block the string of swift moves. The strain was evident in the Ronau operative's face. Then the Crusader faked an attempt at his head, which his opponent fell for. Then he struck the vulnerable man down with one fatal blow. His body was replaced by the colorful pyreflies, which harmlessly floated away.

Tidus slashed at the last remaining object preventing him from reaching Zanarkand, who jumped aside and hit him in the jaw with his nunchaku. The powerful shot spun him around and he fell down to his hands and knees. Gatta intervened and distracted the assassin who was preparing to move in on the fallen fighter. The Crusader sliced at him, but it was defended by the quiet killer's weapon.

Then he wrapped the chain around the sword and yanked it out of his grasp. It landed with a loud clang outside of the cave. Then he kicked the dark-skinned man in the stomach, knocking him to the ground. Tidus returned to his feet and charged once again. He furiously swiped at the one garbed in Al Bhed clothing, but was also blocked by the nunchaku. 

Once again, he wrapped the chain around the blade and tried to wrestle it away. However, the guardian managed to overpower him and pulled the weapon from his clutches. Then Tidus shoved his sword through his foe's stomach, and the battle was over. The pyreflies lingered as the blond youth helped Gatta to his feet.

"You hurt?"

"Nah, I'm fine," he said. "Come on! We're almost there!"

Then the Crusader rushed out of the cave and reclaimed his sword. Night had fallen and the stars were beginning to fill the sky. Tidus slowly stepped out of the boundaries of the cave and beheld his reconstructed city of Zanarkand. It was lit up magnificently, leaving him breathless.

"Zanarkand…" he whispered, and looked upon it motionlessly for a long time.


	14. Unexpected Turn of Events

Chapter 14- Unexpected Turn of Events 

It wasn't his Zanarkand, but Tidus would've been proud to call it home. Everything had been rebuilt with stone since the use of machina was forbidden and the effectiveness of using those metals hadn't been discovered yet. The temple towered high above all of the other structures that surrounded it. It was hard to tell from that distance, but they appeared to be residential areas. The vast amount of pyreflies still lingered in the air, and it was due to their bright colors that they were able to see the city at all.

Gatta remained silent, waiting for Tidus to move on. He also thought that Zanarkand looked spectacular, but there was no one to live there yet. Only Yuna, her guardians, Adonijah, and a select few Yevonites were allowed to be within the city limits at that time. The Crusader glanced over at the blond guardian, who still appeared to be mesmerized. He was shaking with anticipation, but also nervous about seeing all of his friends again.

(Yuna's down there somewhere. So is everyone else. I wonder how they're gonna react. Well, only one way to find out…)

"Ready to go?" Tidus asked.

"Ready and waiting," Gatta replied.

They continued their journey, closing in on their nearby destination. The anxiety was building up with each step, and the blitzball ace was aware that he needed to talk to Yuna soon since her wedding was less than a day away. As they descended the long slopes, the doubts started to creep into his mind.

(It's been two years. She's trying to move on, and I'll just be getting in the way. I don't even know if I'll be around much longer anyway. I could crush her again.)

At the bottom, Tidus hesitated as he laid eyes on the site where they had rested and he had gone over the entire journey in his mind, desperate to find a way to save Yuna from dying before they went into the dome to acquire the Final Aeon. Gatta halted in his tracks as well.

"What's wrong?" he inquired.

"I'm not sure…"

"Come on! We're here! No need to be sad!" the Crusader said enthusiastically.

"I guess so…" the Zanarkand native said.

They entered the ancient holy city of Yevon, which was lifeless during the night except for the constant activity of the pyreflies. Most of the old rubble from the former structures had been removed, but not all. The feelings of its ruin still lingered. The newly constructed buildings dwarfed in comparison to his dream Zanarkand, and the area in between each structure was more spacious. It was ultimately smaller than Luca and Bevelle in terms of all that had been reconstructed, but it was still larger than all of the small villages everywhere else in Spira.

Tidus had been correct in his assumption that all of the edifices surrounding the temple were residential. There were ten of them; all were only one level, and none big enough to accommodate more than four people, from the looks of them. They were all very simple designs, consisting of one front door and a single window to the right of that. The roofs formed a triangle, while the houses themselves were square.

The structures that had been built away from the dome seemed to be the ones made for business. While none of them seemed to be bigger than two stories high, they had a multitude of windows and a blank sign at the top. Apparently, none of the shops had been filled yet.

The two traveling companions kicked up dust with each step, which was quickly swept away by a mild breeze. They paused in front of the Zanarkand Dome, which rose high above everything else. There were large cracks and holes in many places, suggesting that they hadn't even made an attempt to restore or repair it. The statues of Tidus, Auron, and Jecht stood outside of the entrance. The blond guardian glanced up at his golden image briefly, and then examined those of his father and the man who had taken care of him since his mother had died.

"What are we gonna do now?" Gatta asked curiously, interrupting his train of thought.

"Head into the temple, of course," he answered as he turned around to face him.

"Why?"

"Maybe Yuna's there."

The former Abes star spun back around and began walking toward the old structure. The dark-skinned Crusader placed a firm hand on his shoulder to impede his progress.

"I doubt it," he stated.

"Why's that?" Tidus asked curiously without turning again.

"They're probably all asleep, don't you think?"

"It's still worth checkin' out. There's always a chance."

"I don't think anything's in there," Gatta commented.

"What's with you all of a sudden?" the blitzball ace questioned. "How would you know anyway?"

Tidus shoved him away and then rushed into the dome, pushing the doors open as he burst through. The Crusader frowned and quickly followed after him. It was almost entirely dark inside. There weren't nearly as many pyreflies to give light. Their eyes slowly adjusted to the absence of light. The blond guardian suddenly halted as his foot accidentally kicked the pavement that had been broken apart and was a step higher than the part he currently stood on. The sound echoed through the enclosed dome.

"Dalan! Is that you?!" a harsh, familiar voice called out not far from them.

"That voice…"

In the distance, Tidus could see a figure approaching them. He could tell that he was a short and slightly obese man, but he couldn't make out any other distinct features. His heavy footsteps pounded resoundingly and reverberated as well. No other sound penetrated the silence as the other two remained motionless. 

As the mysterious man came closer, the young guardian was able to see that he wore a light orange robe that dragged along the ground. His sleeves were loose and covered the entire arm, including his hands. He was also bald, and there was a cruel gaze in his eyes as Tidus was finally able to see his face. His eyes widened as he recognized the man.

"Kinoc!"

"Ah, Auron's golden boy. Haven't been seen for two years, but you finally show up on the day of High Summoner Yuna's wedding. I had a feeling you might show up if you were still around," he mused.

"How are you still here?! Seymour killed you!" Tidus exclaimed.

"Yes, he did, and I'd thank him if he wasn't wandering on the Farplane. Death is an enlightening experience. You gain more power as an unsent than you ever could in life. Even without Sin, the dead still have more impact than anything in this world. We will create the new spiral of death in Spira. It yearns for it! We will give it what it desires!" Kinoc revealed.

"So you're the leader of Ronau, huh?"

"Yes, that's correct, but it does not matter if you know who we are or not. You can't stop us."

"Is that why you prey on the innocent? Just because you want to make a new spiral of death? You're insane!" he yelled.

The former maester chuckled briefly. "You could never understand. There's no point in clinging to life! We live but for a moment, and then death liberates us!" He raised a clenched fist, which trembled with determination. "Accept your fate and join us!"

Tidus drew the Brotherhood and sliced through the air furiously. "Never! I won't let you take any more lives!"

Kinoc shook his head in disappointment. "How noble, but we can't let you interfere," he said as he began to walk away. "Gatta, you know what to do."

"What…?"

As he was preparing to turn around to face the Crusader, he felt the hilt of a sword slam into the back of his head. The Zanarkand native fell to his knees, and then blacked out. His limp body fell onto the road with a thud, as his fist held on tightly to his weapon.

"Typical naïve hero," Gatta commented as he snatched his sword. 

Then he picked Tidus up and draped him over his shoulder. Then the Crusader turned around and exited the dome. He carried him to a small, nondescript building nearby. He forced the door open with a strong kick, and unceremoniously dropped the guardian onto the hard surface.

"I need to find a way to keep him in here." The dark-skinned man returned outside to find a pile of rubble containing several enormous rocks and pieces of debris. "Perfect."

He pulled the door shut, trapping Tidus inside. Then he walked over to the gathering of junk, and inspected it for the largest obstacle. Once Gatta found it, he hopped onto the heap and began pushing fervently to remove it from the rest. It didn't take much maneuvering. The Crusader barely moved on, and then it toppled down and crashed onto the ground loudly. He looked around to make sure he hadn't disturbed anyone, and then leaped off of the pile of debris.

The obstruction appeared to be a remnant of demolished pathway from one of the old structures. The top part, where the pavement was, had been cracked severely and it was possible to see the rock in between where it had been laid. The rest of it was oval-shaped with surprisingly rounded edges.

"Shouldn't be too difficult to move," Gatta figured.

He placed his hands on the smooth rock and attempted to shove it toward the door. It was harder than he had expected. The Crusader closed his eyes and grunted in strain as he barely budged the boulder with each push. Sweat streamed down his face as he finally got it into position to block the door. He was breathing heavily as he dusted his hands off with satisfaction.

"No way he'll ever get outta there."

A bright glimmer of light crept over the horizon, indicating that the sun was about to rise. "It's almost dawn. Doesn't look like Dalan's gonna make it, so I guess I'll be taking his place." He hurried back into the Zanarkand Dome as the sun began to climb over the peak of Mount Gagazet.

Shortly afterwards, Yuna exited from the house farthest away from the temple. She had been awakened by the commotion outside. She was exhausted, and was slow to make it outside to investigate. 

"I thought I heard something out here," she said to herself as she glanced around, finding nothing. "But I guess not. Nothing's out here."

The High Summoner had been restless all night, so she was easily disturbed by even the slightest noises. The emphatic crashing of the boulder had caused her to stir from her slumber even from a far distance. 

"Today's the big day. I need all the rest I can get," Yuna stated and returned to her bed.


	15. Fight to the Finish

Chapter 15- Fight to the Finish 

Regaining consciousness, Tidus groaned in pain and rubbed the back of his head. He began to hurt even more after touching the large bump caused by the hilt of Gatta's sword. He slowly sat up and examined his surroundings. "Where am I…?" he mumbled. Then the guardian's mind drifted back to the Crusader's betrayal, and his anger rose dramatically. "I'm gonna kill that guy!"

Tidus athletically leaped to his feet, but began to feel dizzy and placed his hand on his forehead. He stumbled toward the exit of the small building, his feet scuffing along the stone floor. As he tried to push the door open, he discovered that it wouldn't budge due to some heavy resistance. He struggled with all of his strength to force it open, but soon realized that it was a hopeless endeavor.

"Hey! Is anybody out there?!" the blitzball ace yelled, but there was no reply.

Sighing, Tidus slowly sauntered over to the opposite wall. He leaned his back against it, and gradually slid down to a sitting position on the floor.

_(Great…I came all the way to Zanarkand, and now I'm stuck here. I wonder how long I was out cold. Yuna might even be married to that Adonijah guy by now. I should've known something was up with Gatta. He was so willing to come with me, and he knew about Ronau even though nobody else did. I was so stupid not to see that.)_ he thought in self-reproach. _(Barthello's dead, and Ronau's gonna…)_

The blond guardian's eyes widened as he remembered the dire circumstances. "…Kill Yuna!" he finished aloud. "I gotta find a way outta here!"

Tidus quickly returned to his feet and stared at the exit. He charged at full speed, and then jumped forward with his left leg extended. He collided with the door, but even the force of the impact barely nudged it. As he landed, the sphere he picked up in the Macalania Woods dropped out of his pocket and landed on the floor. It automatically began playing, causing the Zanarkand native to take notice. His father Jecht appeared in the image with nothing else in the background other than rain. It looked like the same place that Seymour's father Jyscal had recorded his sphere from beyond the grave.

"Huh…? This isn't the same sphere," Tidus stated.

"Hey," his old man said with a slight wave. "I guess if you're watching this, then you made it back to Spira safely. I'm sure you're wondering how you managed to get back there and all. I'm no good at this, but I'll give it a shot and try to explain what happened. You see…The thing is…Uhhh…"

The blitzball legend and famous guardian hesitated momentarily and scratched the back of his head. He ran his hand through his hair as he thought. "…The Farplane is the place of the dead, the fayth, and their dreams, but you're not a dream anymore. Me and you, we became real when we touched Sin, but since your place was back in Zanarkand, you were sent with the rest of them. Confusing, I know. I don't get it myself, but I think I know someone who could do this better than me."

His father took one step to the side as a man garbed in right with dark sunglasses that attempted to cover a scar on his right eye stepped into view. "Auron!" Tidus exclaimed in surprise.

"Listen, what Jecht has been trying to say is this…" he began. "You were sent to the Farplane because you were originally a dream of the fayth, even though you are much more than that now. However, you don't belong here with us, but on Spira. You helped rid the world of Sin forever and ended the fayth's dreaming. They owed Jecht and you a debt that they could never forget. Being a fayth himself, Jecht was able to convince them that you deserved another chance, and his request was granted. That's why you are watching this right now. We are unable to join you, but they did allow us to create this sphere to explain your fate. Just think of all this as Jecht's way of saying he loves you."

His father began to blush considerably, turning his entire face a bright red hue. Then he spoke to his son again. "One more thing before we gotta go…Make the most of your second chance. Don't take it for granted. I know you're strong enough to handle things without cryin' now, but don't let life get ya down when things don't go your way. Be good…Goodbye."

Then the projected image disappeared, and the blue sphere remained still. "Thanks, Dad," Tidus said gratefully as he picked it up and placed it back into his pocket.

Suddenly, he was startled by some loud noises just outside of the building. After a few moments, the door swung open, revealing a familiar face.

"Barthello!" the blond guardian exclaimed in surprise.

"Where's Gatta?" he asked curiously.

He hesitated briefly before answering and sighed. "He betrayed us. He's probably in the dome somewhere."

The muscular guardian's eyes squinted in rage. "I thought you were dead! How did you get here?!" Tidus asked.

"It'll take more than a couple of puny men to finish me, but we've wasted enough time. Let's get Gatta!"

"Yeah!"

They dashed into the dome, hurrying into the deeper regions where they believed Yuna to be located.

Meanwhile, in the Great Hall, beyond the Chamber of the Fayth, where Yunalesca resided, waiting to greet summoners at the end of their pilgrimages, High Summoner Yuna and Grand Maester Adonijah were awaiting the wedding reception to begin. Final preparations were being made to the appearance of the very old, destitute hall. 

A long, red carpet extended from the top of the stairs to the doorway, and it was the path that the bride and groom would walk on. Three rows of five chandeliers apiece hung from the ceiling, and the multiple candles inserted into them provided most of the lighting in the room. A priest stood at the top of the stairs as Adonijah's selected Yevonites helped arrange the room to make it look fashionable.

Yuna stood on the left side of the room with Rikku and Lulu, while the maester was on the other side with Wakka and Kimahri. The floor beneath them was slightly dirty, but had been cleaned up to look presentable. Banners of Yevon adorned the walls with various scriptures written on them, each in a different color to make the room look brighter. 

It wasn't the fanciest wedding a woman could've hoped for, but Yuna had her will set on having it set in Zanarkand. Her dress was a sparkling white, which barely avoided touching the floor, and the top was sleeveless and cut just above her chest. The veil covering her face touched the bottom of her chin and her light brown hair was tied back. 

Lulu wore a black dress that was low cut and the bottom of it easily dragged along the floor. She had swept her raven black hair out of her eyes. However, Rikku wore a frilly pink dress with puffed sleeves that was cut just below the neck and barely touched the floor. It seemed to be too big for her, and the Al Bhed felt very uncomfortable wearing it. She was constantly fidgeting and shifting.

The High Summoner was shaking with anxiety as she watched the Yevonites methodically work, while Lulu appeared casually unconcerned, as usual. However, she was becoming impatient because of the long wait due to their sluggish pace.

On the opposite side of the hall, Adonijah had begun to sweat from nervousness. The small droplets of perspiration slowly slid down his face. His normally messy and spiked hair had been sliced back, and he was constantly running his hands through it. He wore a dark blue maester's robe, which had one wide white stripe running down each sleeve and around the neck. It barely skimmed along the floor and it had a hood attached, which the Grand Maester elected not to wear.

Wakka was wearing a black tuxedo with a white, buttoned shirt and a black bow tie. It was very tight on him and he felt very stiff whenever he moved. It was difficult to prepare a custom-made outfit for Kimahri, so he was dressed in his normal attire. The Ronso stared straight ahead at the priest with his arms crossed while Wakka conversed with Adonijah.

"Calm down. Don't be so nervous, eh?" the Aurochs coach said.

"Calm down? Wouldn't you be nervous if it was your wedding day?" he retorted.

"'Course I would, but you need to tone it down a little. You're sweatin' like crazy."

"Yes, I am. I can't help it though," he said.

"It's almost time. You'll do fine."

Once everything was completed and ready, the Yevonites lined up around the staircase, signifying that it was time to begin. The bride and groom stood side by side on the carpet, while the others took their places as well. The couple slowly walked forward, stepping up one stair at a time until they stood before the minister. 

As he began to read from Yevon's scriptures, Gatta and Kinoc awaited their opportunity to assassinate them in the next room. The Crusader had been given a gun, which he was unsure of how to use. It had been explained to him, but he was hoping he wouldn't mess up. The two Ronau members laid low, trained in espionage to avoid being seen by others, even if they were nearby. 

Kinoc gave him a signal, ordering him to get ready. He was familiar with ancient Yevon rights, and knew when his partner would have an open shot. Gatta aimed the machina weapon and lined it up to implant a bullet into Yuna's forehead. As the former maester was about to give him the sign to fire, a loud noise interrupted the ceremony in the hall. Barthello had removed the door from its hinges and the pair entered the room.

"Wait!" Tidus screamed. Everyone turned around and stared at him, wide-eyed and jaws dropped, as if they'd seen a ghost. "Yuna, get down from there now!"

However, she stood still, unable to move due to the shock. The guardian knew that he would have to take it into his own hands. As Kinoc heard what was going on, he quickly turned to Gatta.

"Fire!" he cried in desperation.

The Zanarkand native bounded up the stairs and grabbed the High Summoner. He pulled her away as the Crusader released the bullet from its chamber. It cut through a lock of Yuna's hair, narrowly missing her head. It hit the wall and the sound of the impact reverberated in the room. The priest hurried down the stairs, with the other three following him. However, the minister continued to run, followed by Adonijah's Yevonites.

"Gatta! Kinoc! Come outta there now!" Tidus demanded. "I know you're in there!"

Those in the room were still utterly confused by the suddenly arising circumstances. It was all happening so quickly, becoming hostile in a moment after it was joyous. The two Ronau members showed themselves and stood before them fearlessly.

"You may have foiled things for now, but we're not finished yet. I'll just have to kill you all now," the leader said.

Tidus and Barthello stepped forward, beckoning them to bring it on with a gesture of their hand. "Not if we can help it!" the blitzball ace said.

As Kinoc was preparing to descend the stairs, Gatta put his arm out to stop him. "Let me take care of these two. They shouldn't be a problem," he insisted confidently.

The former maester simply nodded and returned to the room beyond them.

Wakka placed a hand on Tidus's shoulder. "Hey! How did you get here?!" he finally managed to say.

"No time for this now! You gotta take care of Kinoc!"

"Man, I knew somethin' like this was gonna happen, but nothin' this big!" The Aurochs captain ripped off his tight tuxedo, revealing his usual attire below. He grabbed his blitzball that he had stowed away near the stairs.

"Let's do it!" Rikku exclaimed, tearing off the uncomfortable dress, and she was also wearing her normal clothes beneath.

Kimahri drew his spear and led the charge as the Al Bhed, Wakka, Lulu, and Adonijah followed, brushing past Gatta and leaving the three alone. As the blond guardian reached back to draw his sword, he realized that it wasn't there.

"Looking for this?" the former Crusader taunted with a chuckle, holding the Brotherhood out with one hand.

"I won't need it!" Tidus said, almost overconfident. "Come on, Barthello! Two's better than one, right?"

"And two swords are better than none," Gatta countered, clutching his broadsword in his left hand.

He held it out steadily in a defensive position, while the bright blue blade was held behind him, ready to strike them down. The Zanarkand native charged unarmed to the top of the stairs fearlessly, rage evident in his eyes. The Ronau member sliced through the air with Brotherhood, but the agile blitz player ducked. Then he instantly performed a backwards somersault, his feet kicking the right arm in an attempt to make his opponent drop the sword. However, Gatta's grip was firm, and he held on as he staggered back from the attack.

As soon as Tidus landed, he immediately rushed his opponent while he was off balance. He kicked the dark-haired man in the chest, knocking him to the floor. Feeling humiliated, he quickly returned to his feet and began slashing haphazardly with both swords. As the guardian began to back away, he tripped on the top step and tumbled to the bottom, landing on his back. He had a gash on hire forehead from the fall, and the blood began to flow down his face.

Unrelenting, Gatta jumped from the top of the stairs and lined the Brotherhood up with his neck, attempting to decapitate him. His eyes widened, and Tidus managed to roll out of the way as the blade scraped across the floor. Without hesitation, he swiped at Barthello, who grabbed the hilt of the sword to halt its progress. The Ronau member struggled to free it from his mammoth grip, but to no avail. He tried to use his broadsword, but the muscular guardian placed his other hand around his foe's wrist.

As Gatta struggled to get free, the silent fighter slammed his hard head against his face. The former Crusader loosened his grasp on the weapons, and Barthello held onto the Brotherhood, while letting the other weapon drop. It clanged loudly against the floor as he walked over to hand the sword to Tidus.

"Thanks!" He assumed a fighting stance while Gatta slowly stood up, hands covering his busted nose. "Now we're even!" the Zanarkand native said as he wiped the blood from his forehead.

Kinoc stood still with his back to the group. "So you're the one who's been behind those mysterious terrorist attacks!" Wakka exclaimed, but the former maester was silent to his accusation.

"And then you tried to kill Yunie!" Rikku added, but still no reply.

"Why..? Why did you do this?!" Yuna asked, but he didn't say a word.

"Answer us!" Adonijah demanded. "You've disrupted the order of Yevon!"

Kinoc began to laugh loudly, as if finding the statement absurd. "The order of Yevon? Do you have any idea who you're talking to, boy? The destruction of Sin disrupted the order of Yevon! It thrived on a destroyer, but now it doesn't have one. I plan on being what restores Yevon and Spira to their former glory! You don't realize it now, but it is floundering. It needs people like us!"

"Lies! Yevon is based upon peace and the truth!" the Grand Maester retorted.

"Then why did we allow summoners to die in vain just for Sin to return anyway? We all knew it would come back, and yet we never searched for another method. Why did we use machina in secret while telling the rest of the world that it was forbidden? It's always been like that, and Yevon embodies unchanging consistency. Don't think you can do anything about it either!"

"I've heard enough of this!" Wakka said angrily.

"Yuna, send him," Lulu said calmly.

The High Summoner pulled out of her staff, but as she began to dance, she felt some strange resistance that prevented her from completing the ritual.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that," Kinoc said as he casted a lightning spell, striking Yuna and forcing Nirvana from her hands.

She dropped weakly to one knee while Adonijah rushed to her side. Kimahri stepped in front of the Ronau leader with his spear, ready to attack.

"I guess we gotta fight him, too! A guardian's job is never done, ya?"

"So you wish to fight me? Hit me with all you have. I'll show you the power of death!" The former maester said.

He began to transform, his body becoming much taller and slimmer than usual. Its substance seemed to change from flesh and became metallic, and it turned a dull gray color. Triangular-shaped wings sprouted from his shoulder blades and his two legs melded together. Kinoc's arms stretched out and attached to the wings, and his body began to hover slightly above the ground. The eyes, nose, and mouth seemed to completely disappear, leaving his head mostly featureless. Finally, a thin rod slid out from the top of his head.

"This reminds me of all those times we fought Seymour," Rikku commented.

"And we'll make him a goner like Seymour, too," Wakka said confidently.

"You compare that wretch to me? You don't stand a chance!" the Ronau leader exclaimed.

"We'll see about that," Lulu said. "Thundaga!"

The small Onion Knight mimicked her movements as she unleashed the most powerful lightning spell upon her foe. However, the rod on top of Kinoc's head absorbed the spell, and returned it to her. The black mage cried out in agony as the bolt struck her.  
"Let me help!" Yuna insisted, stepping forward. "Curaga!" The healing magic immediately took effect, and Lulu was restored to full strength.

"That rod absorbs my magic," she stated.

"Then we'll just have to knock it off!" Wakka exclaimed, winding back his World Champion blitzball and aimed for the thin bar. 

He released it and the projectile sped toward its target. Kinoc raised his wings and covered the rod, preventing the object access. It bounced harmlessly off of the hard exterior and returned to its owner. 

"You weren't expecting it to be that simple, were you?" he mocked.

Kimahri stabbed at the unsent enemy fiercely with his Spirit Lance, but it could not pierce the metallic layer of armor-like skin protecting the terrorist. He retaliated by hitting the Ronso with the hard wings, lifting him off of his feet and knocking him back.

Rikku tossed a grenade, hoping to be able to damage him with it. After the object made contact with its target, it exploded, sending a blast of fire and plumes of smoke into the former maester's face. When the screen of flames had disappeared, he was unfazed.

"Pathetic!" he insulted. "Can't you do any better than that?"

Lulu was preparing to cast another spell when Wakka stopped her in her tracks.

"Lu! What're you doing? He'll send it right back at you!"

"He can't reflect Ultima," she said with assurance.

She charged up as the Aurochs captain stepped out of the way. She unleashed the most powerful black spell upon her enemy. She was astonished to see it taken in by the rod.

"Uh oh…" Rikku muttered dreadfully, knowing what was coming next.

Kinoc had caught it, and then reciprocated the destructive spell. All of them were hit with massive blasts of energy, weakening them severely. None of them had enough strength to stand up on their own and they collapsed. The Ronau leader laughed psychotically.

"Auron can't save you now! You can't hope to win this one!"

Gatta's nose was bleeding profusely and pouring into his mouth as he breathed heavily. He lifted his broadsword from the ground and assumed a battle stance, ready to fight.

"Why are you with them, Gatta? Why?!" Tidus asked.

"You held me back…" he uttered.

"What…?" He didn't understand what the former Crusader was saying.

"During Operation Mi'ihen that day…All of you held me back, and you let Luzzu die! You wouldn't let me fight! You wouldn't let me prove myself! The Crusaders…Yevon…Everyone…You were all stopping me from being the best I could truly be! But Ronau…They won't hinder me. They don't get in my way. They let me fight! I've always had the desire to become a great warrior. It's been a dream of mine ever since I was a child, and now I've risen to that plateau!"

"But you're not a warrior! You're just a murderer!" Tidus shouted. "Don't you realize what you're doing is completely wrong?!"

"Right or wrong, who cares?! We didn't care in Operation Mi'ihen, did we? It was by any means necessary, and if that means killing people, so be it. Nobody's gonna stop me!" Gatta yelled with determination.

"I am! I'll end it right here, right now!" the young guardian exclaimed.

"Bring it on! This should prove to be my best challenge yet!"

The Zanarkand native charged at the former Crusader and slashed furiously at his head. He effortlessly ducked, and then swiped at his opponent's stomach. Tidus quickly jumped back, and then leapt forward with a downward slice. The Ronau operative blocked it, and then pushed forward, trying to overpower him. The guardian pushed back, gritting his teeth as he struggled and slowly began to seize control.

However, Gatta lifted his knee and shoved it into his stomach, catching him off guard and knocking him backwards. The blitzball star desperately tried to regain his breath as his foe aggressively pushed forward, attacking relentlessly. Tidus barely managed to defend, but was unable to counter because he couldn't breathe. 

After a few moments, he could filter air into his lungs again, but the current lack of oxygen made him weak and lacking energy. He had no time to rest with the former Crusader's flurry of attacks. Gatta sliced high, forcing his opponent to duck, and immediately swept low with one fluid motion. The young guardian jumped into the air and his enemy stabbed at his chest. He knocked the blade off course with the Brotherhood, and then landed on the ground again.

The Ronau operative swung downward at his shoulder, forcing Tidus to duck and hold the bright blue blade in front of him in order to impede the sword's progress. Gatta used his leverage advantage to push down on him, making him squat. He struggled to shove him away, while droplets of sweat mingled with his blood. The former Crusader's blood dripped from his chin and landed on his broadsword. There was an area of dried blood around his mouth.

Tidus breathed in deeply as the former Crusader continued to hold him down. Taking a chance, he swept his right leg along the ground, tripping Gatta and sending him crashing to the floor. He slowly took a couple of steps backwards, never taking his eyes off of his opponent who was lying on the ground. The dark-haired man slowly stood up, his free hand clutching the back of his head with a grimace.

"My turn now!" Tidus said with a smirk.

Catching Gatta off guard and giving him very little time to react, the speedy swordsman charged and furiously slashed at his foe. The strength of the attack knocked the Ronau member off balance, since he didn't have time to grasp his weapon with both hands. Seizing full advantage of the situation, the Brotherhood sliced across his chest. The former Crusader cried out in intense agony and fell to the floor once more.

The blood began to flow and stained his garments. His breaths were short as he stared at Tidus with hatred. He knew that he had been bested, but he still had one act of desperation remaining. With the guardian only about a foot away, he quickly launched his broadsword at him. Using his quick reflexes that he had developed as an athlete, he flipped over the top and then delivered the finishing blow. He impaled Gatta through the chest, and his body went limp and lifeless. Tidus wasted no time brooding over the situation and hurried into the next room with Barthello following behind.

The group was struggling to stand up as Kinoc was preparing to end it. "Is that all you have? I expected more from the vanquishers of Sin."

His wings began to glow and a current of energy visibly flowed through the rod as he charged up. Suddenly, a bright blue blade came careening in his direction, forcing him to abandon his attack and defend against the sword. It clanged resoundingly as it made contact and bounced off of the impenetrable wings. It slid across the floor and stopped at the feet of Tidus. He knelt down and picked it up.

"Not so fast! It's not over yet!"

His friends were still unsure of how to react to his return and remained silent as they rose to their feet. The Zanarkand native gazed over at Yuna, whose blue and green eyes were full of confusion and sadness. Seeing the pain in her face made him frown and sigh.

"It's been a while, guys," he commented, "but now we're together again. I know you don't understand what's going on. I don't get it either, but right now, we've got other things to worry about."

Tidus fixed his stare on Kinoc and assumed a fighting stance.

"So you defeated Gatta. Impressive, but he's merely a shadow of my power," the unsent said egocentrically.

"And you're nothing after what we've been through," he retorted. "Come on! Let's do this!"

Wakka and Kimahri stepped up and stood by him. "We need to take out that rod on his head. It absorbs out spells and seems to power him up," the red-haired guardian informed.

"No problem!" Tidus said confidently.

He rushed forward and swung at the rod. Before he could make contact, Kinoc's wings sent him flying backwards and he landed at the Ronso's feet. He picked him up wordlessly but gently.

"It's not that easy, or we would've already got it, ya?"

"So what do we do?"

"I have an idea," Rikku intervened with a whisper. "But I'll kinda need to sneak up on him."

"You want us to distract him, right?" Tidus said, catching her drift.

"I know it's a lot to ask…"

"Don't worry about it," Wakka waved off. "We'll take care of it. You just do what you gotta do."

The three male guardians charged at the Ronau leader, with the Aurochs captain tossing his blitzball at him on the run. It harmlessly bounced back into his hands. Kimahri stabbed at his chest, but like before, even the sharp tip of his lance couldn't break through the tough exterior. Kinoc attempted to smash him between his wings, but the powerful Ronso managed to avoid the attack. 

Then the unsent knocked them down with an invisible shockwave of energy. The wings began to glow again as he prepared to unleash his destructive attack upon them. However, Rikku had managed to sneak around and get behind him. The perky thief hopped onto his back and broke the rod off of his head. She jumped off and ran back to her friends. The other three guardians scrambled to their feet and joined them.

"See if it works now, Lu," Wakka said.

"Burn," she said contemptuously as she casted a Firaga spell.

It hit its intended target and Kinoc groaned in pain as the flames surrounded his body.

"All right! Let him have it!" Tidus exclaimed enthusiastically.

Yuna stepped forward. "I've been practicing black magic," she stated. "I can help, too."

She hit the former maester with a powerful Flare spell, racking his body with pain again as he was left defenseless. 

"Let's all three cast at once," Adonijah suggested.

Lulu started it off with the devastating Ultima spell. As the multi-colored energy began to explode, Yuna placed another Flare spell into the mix and the flames combined with it. Finally, the Grand Maester topped it off with the rarely learned spell, Meteor. An enormously large rock crashed on top of Kinoc's head. As the chaos concluded, he was on the brink off death. Once everything cleared, he was on one knee in human form again.

"Send him," Lulu ordered.

Yuna pulled out her staff and began to dance, performing the ancient ritual for both Ronau members. Their bodies faded away and the pyreflies floated away harmlessly. Then all eyes were on Tidus.

"How…did you get here?" the High Summoner inquired curiously.

"It'd be easier to show you," he replied.

He withdrew the blue sphere from his pocket again and played it back for them. They all watched intently as Jecht and Auron explained how he had returned to Spira due to the wishes of the fayth. Once it was finished, there was another question yet to be answered.

"How did you get here? How did you know we'd be here?" Rikku asked.

Tidus told them his story, from the moment he returned in the waters of Besaid up until the current time, reciting everything that he could recall from memory.

"So you're back for good?" Wakka asked to clarify, and the blitzball ace confirmed it with a nod.

The Aurochs captain was still unsure of how to react about the miraculous return of his friend after two years of absence, and it was the same for the others. Patting him on the shoulder, he said, "Good to have ya back, bud."

Then he walked out of the room, knowing that he would want to speak to Yuna privately. The others thought of the same thing and followed him, including Adonijah. Once they were alone, the two were silent for a few moments before Tidus spoke up. He began strolling around the room anxiously.

"Yuna, I came all this way to see you, and you know that. I didn't come to crash your wedding or anything, but there's something I gotta ask you."

She had been staring at the ground nervously, but she quickly looked up at him. "Y-Yes?"

"Uh…No offense, but can you really trust this Adonijah guy? I mean, after all that we've been through with Yevon, it makes you wonder."

"I know it's hard to believe. It was hard for me at first to believe that his intentions were noble, but…I trust him with my life, like I trust you," she said with full sincerity.

"So…you love him," he stated.

"But I love you, too."

Tidus immediately halted and stared at her while she met his gaze. "What now though? Did I…ruin everything?" he wondered.

"I can't turn away from Adonijah. I made a promise to him," she said.

"Yeah…I understand," the guardian said dejectedly.

"I'm sorry," she apologized.

"No, don't be. It's your decision, and I won't stand in your way. I'll be by your side all the way," he said supportively.

"Thank you," she said with a smile. This time, it wasn't a façade to hide her sadness like it had been during the pilgrimage. It was out of true happiness.

"You gotta tell him you're ready."

Lulu and Wakka were in the corner of the Great Hall, talking alone. "So what do you think's gonna happen now?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. It will be very difficult for Yuna. This negates all of the time it took for her to move on. It will be hard for all of us to adjust as well, but especially her," she answered.

"Will she call the wedding off?"

"I don't know. She'll do what she feels is right."

Tidus and Yuna emerged from the room beyond, and everyone turned to face them.

"Find the priest. We need to finish the ceremony."

"I'll get him!" Rikku volunteered and hurried out of the room.

Barthello approached his traveling companion as he descended the stairs. "I'm leaving now," he stated.

"By yourself? You sure you'll be okay?"

The muscular guardian nodded, and then extended his hand. "It has been an honor."

Tidus shook his hand with gratitude. "Same here. Thanks for all of your help," he said with a brief smile.

Barthello smirked and then left silently. 

Shortly afterwards, the Al Bhed thief returned with the priest and they finished the wedding. The Zanarkand native looked away during the ceremony, not wanting to see anything. After it was over, he spoke with all of his friends and learned of all of the events that had transpired while he was gone. He even associated with Adonijah. Even though he had to let her go, he was still happy. Tidus was home again.

_Author's Notes: And that's the end of my story. Thank you all for reading this story and giving an author like me some encouragement. God bless._


End file.
